Medical degree for farmworkers' daughter

Farmworkers Cynthia and Chriswell Dyum flank their daughter Yvonne Dyum, who graduated for with a degree in medicine.

Farmworkers Cynthia and Chriswell Dyum flank their daughter Yvonne Dyum, who graduated for with a degree in medicine.

Published Dec 8, 2016

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Cape Town - Determination and hard work culminated in the daughter of Stellenbosch farmworkers reaching her goal and graduating from Stellenbosch University to become a medical doctor.

Yvonne Dyum, 24, received her MBChB (Medicine) degree on Wednesday, at her graduation from the faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Born in the Eastern Cape and raised on Muratie Wine farm, outside Stellenbosch, reaching this milestone for the newly graduated doctor has not been easy.

Dyum said her proud parents, Cynthia and Chriswell Dyum, had been farm labourers for the past 20 years.

“They said to me the day they have been waiting for has finally arrived," said Dyum.

"The last six years of hard work, discipline and persistence has paid off.”

She said it had been a very difficult road because she had had to complete a bridging course after high school.

“I graduated in 2009 from Cloetesville High School but lost my provisional place because my marks were not good enough.

"I completed the bridging course and began my first year as a medical student in 2011,” said Dyum.

She said there had been times when she did not know where the funding would come from, but she had had faith that somehow her hard work would be seen by someone.

“I received bursaries and my parents sacrificed so that I could attain my dream.

"I had no expectations or thoughts on what to expect when I went up there.

"Just the look on my parents' faces when I turned to them, the feeling is indescribable,” said Dyum.

Her older brother, Leonard ,29, is completing his final year of mechanical engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

She said next for her was a two-year internship at a hospital.

“I have been focusing on orthopaedics and hope it stays the same.

"In the next two years, I’ll be exposed to so much and hopefully I’ll find my love,” said Dyum.

After a hectic past few days, the young doctor will be taking a break before she embarks on her next challenge.

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Cape Times

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