Meet Vhutshilo Netshituni, South Africa’s first black pediatric oncologist.
Vhutshilo Netshituni is currently an employee of Pietersburg Hospital in Polokwane. She works in pediatric oncology, specializing in the treatment of childhood cancer. No black South African has ever done anything like it.
Other facts about the trendsetter are:
1. Growing up
Vhutshilo Netshituni was born in Tshilafene village outside of Thohoyandou. After losing her father at a tender age, her mother Sophy took on the responsibility of raising her and three other siblings. Growing up for Vhutshilo had a rather difficult period.
As tumultuous as her financial status was, at the time, Vhutshilo was sure that she wanted to be a doctor. When she visited her cousin, who was studying medicine, she also discovered her affinity for the profession. She never forgets her mother’s tireless efforts to make her dream come true.
2. Found your calling in a calling
Everyone knew she wanted to be a doctor, but her experiences with children as a medical student helped her narrow the area of her specialization. So she decided to become a pediatrician. dr Vhutshilo Netshituni worked briefly in the Polokwane Oncology Department before upgrading her qualifications as a pediatric oncologist at Stellenbosch University.
Her work in treating children’s cancer had a great influence on her.
“What struck me was seeing these kids smile no matter what they are going through. That made me brave. It kept me going,” she says.
3. Passionate about saving children with cancer
The Limpopo-based doctor has been described as extremely passionate about her job. Portia Masango, a Facebook user and supporter of Sowetan Live, said the following:
“She is really good with children, my 5 year old boy was admitted to the Polokwane Peadiatric Oncology Ward after being diagnosed with cancer 2 months ago and did everything she could to help him. Big up”.
4. An inspiration to women and the black South African community
As the first black pediatric oncologist in South Africa, Dr. Vhutshilo Netshituni has become a source of inspiration for women and indeed for the black South African community. A few weeks ago, Julius Malema reached another milestone in his educational work. emphasizes that only through education can the black community in South Africa achieve economic emancipation. The breakup of Dr. Vhutshilo Netshituni in SA’s medical history also reinforced this point. Achieving the feat not only as a black SA native but also as a woman speaks volumes for the aspect of women’s education and empowerment.
According to the South African government in a jobs plan unveiled at a recent G20 summit in Australia, young black women make up 37.5% of unemployed South Africans aged 15-34. During the Brisbane summit, South Africa identified the country’s low female employment rate as one of the few key challenges.
dr Vhutshilo Netshituni has become a role model and a symbol of hope for black SA women in this regard.
Other South African women are entering the pediatric field. Recently, 35-year-old Ngoakoana Mahlachana joined the fight against childhood cancer after becoming the country’s third black person to qualify as a pediatric oncologist.
In March 2017 it was reported that the first medical school since the advent of democracy will be built in Limpopo.
The provincial health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, during their budget speech, the departments said specialist doctors will be recruited once the hospital opens. These doctors include Dr. Mangena, the first neurologist in the province, Dr. Ntangadzeni Muambadzi, Limpopo’s youngest nuclear medicine doctor, and Dr. Vhutshilo Netshituni, the first black pediatric oncologist in the Republic of South Africa.
This could be another stepping stone for Netshituni to realize her dream of awareness campaigns. It can be recalled that she said a “big and beautiful oncology building would be a bonus to me.”