‘I had a stroke at 19’
When Bianca Damon suffered a stroke in March 2015, at the age of only 19, she had no idea what was happening to her.
‘I survived two heart attacks’
Amos Mautla suffered heart attacks in 2009 and 2014 and was treated at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital both times.
Living with childhood leukaemia
Kathy Singery, the mother of 14-year-old Daniel who was recently diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL), shares the family’s coping strategies and reflects on the lessons they’ve learnt on their journey so far.
A journey with endometriosis
In 2014 Valencia Kippie, a 41-year-old mother from Cape Town, finally got the answer to a question she’d been asking doctors for more than 12 years: What’s wrong with me?
‘I’ve climbed the highest mountains’
When Ray Funnell (51) told his wife in 2006 that he had leukaemia, she thought he was joking. He wasn’t, but a sense of humour and a stem cell donation saw him through the worst. This is his story.
DID YOU KNOW?
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Our hospitals have been awarded international accreditation for best practice in the management of environmental systems and practices.
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Mediclinic has the highest number of internationally accredited facilities in Southern Africa.
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Our hospitals did the first minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve implant procedure in Africa.
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Scrub areas in theatre are a minimum of 2.1m wide to accommodate at least two people at a time.
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Immunisations save lives and help stop diseases from spreading.
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Mediclinic uses building materials that reduce background noise for minimal disturbance.
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We place oxygen-releasing, toxin-absorbing plants, like Sanseviera Trifasciata, around our hospitals.
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Nurses can observe patients at all times as critical care units are designed like a beehive with the nurses’ station in the middle.
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Our radio-translucent theatre beds enable X-rays to be taken on the spot, without having to move the patient or disturb the procedure.
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To prevent harmful bacteria being absorbed by mattresses we use protective under sheets made from polypropylene.
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Combatting depression after retirement
When he hit retirement age, Paul Britton was looking forward to many years of well-earned rest. Instead, he fell into a deep depression. Here he shares how it happened – and how he worked his way out of it.
Why you shouldn’t skip antidepressants
You go away for a weekend and forget your medication at home. It happens. Depending on the meds you’re taking, the effects can be disastrous – or completely benign. A Mediclinic psychiatrist talks us through what could happen if you skip your antidepressants.
DID YOU KNOW?
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Scrub areas in theatre are a minimum of 2.1m wide to accommodate at least two people at a time.
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An orange has over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 flavonoids, providing anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot-inhibiting effects.
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Immunisations save lives and help stop diseases from spreading.
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Our nursing units are designed to minimise the distance between nursing staff and patients.
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The only one in Africa and one of only 13 in the world, the P-I BrÅnemark Institute of Excellence at Mediclinic Morningside, specialises in facial reconstruction.
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We place oxygen-releasing, toxin-absorbing plants, like Sanseviera Trifasciata, around our hospitals.
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Mediclinic trains more than a thousand nurses annually at training centres throughout Southern Africa.
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Mediclinic uses building materials that reduce background noise for minimal disturbance.
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The triage admission system in our emergency centres has been able to reduce mortality by up to 50%.
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Our hospitals have been awarded international accreditation for best practice in the management of environmental systems and practices.
#MediclinicFacts
Cochlear implants for children: A father’s story
Dr Anthony Allwood, an anaesthesiologist at Mediclinic Vergelegen, shares the experience of having two of his daughters undergo a cochlear implant – and the difference it’s made in their lives.
Don’t fear the needle
Scared of needles? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. According to some estimates, one in every five people suffer from it – which can make donating blood or giving a blood sample a real nightmare…
Celebrating the survivors
The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) says one in four South Africans will be affected by cancer in their lifetime – either via someone they know contracting the disease or being diagnosed with it themselves. The CANSA Relay For Life events are held locally and internationally to celebrate and remember people whose lives have been affected by cancer. Survivors, in particular, are celebrated, honoured and treated as VIPs.
In praise of nurses
They say time is a healer, but hospital patients’ recovery is also dependent on the care of committed nurses. Clinical psychologist Ilse Pauw of Mediclinic Cape Town highlights the critical needs of recuperating patients and the various roles nurses play to fulfil them.
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