TOTT 14 February 2019

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Talk of the Town 13
Farm girl finds her
passion in nursing
BOB FORD
Ayoung Port Alfred farm girl who
wanted to do something care-related
after leaving school has ended up as
a highly qualified nursing sister through
sheer hard work and dedication.
She is Susan McGarvie, who is the Care
Centre manager at Settlers Park retirement
village.
Born in Grahamstown (Makhanda) and
educated at Victoria Girls High and Port
Alfred High, McGarvie did not really know
what she wanted to do after she
matriculated in 1995. So she registered at
Rhodes University to study for a BSc
degree. “It was during this year that I
realised that I wanted to do something
more care-related and decided I wanted to
do a nursing degree,” she said.
Rhodes did not offer this and after
completing a year, she moved to
Stellenbosch where she was able to do the
degree of her choice. Being a farm girl, she
wanted to be closer to home and moved to
the University of Port Elizabeth after a year,
where she successfully completed her
degree over the next three years. Her main
subjects included general nursing,
midwifery, psychology and primary health
care.
Fresh out of university and armed with
her degree she set off to Johannesburg
where she worked in the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit for babies in Sandton.
“I chose this because midwifery was my
best subject at university,” she said.
But McGarvie had a student loan
hanging over her head and she had a
yearning to travel. So she set off to
England to do home nursing in 2002 for
about a year. She said that, although this
was tough at times, she gained excellent
experience during the time she was there.
On her return to South Africa she
returned to Johannesburg where she
worked at a specialist birthing clinic for
more than a year. But she wanted to gain
more experience and spent the last four
years in the city when she concentrated on
oncology at the Johannesburg General
Hospital.
By then McGarvie had had enough of the
bright lights of a large city and wanted to
come home to the family farm in the
Eastern Cape. Back in more familiar
surroundings, she worked in a township
clinic in Port Alfred. She then worked for
the National Hospice Association where
she assisted in developing new branches
in the Eastern Cape. She also helped them
achieve five star accreditation and did
audits all over the country. She also
worked for the Hospice Palliative Care
A s s o c i at i o n .
McGarvie said that she matured late
academically and had a yearning to study
further. Undeterred by the fact that she had
a busy working life she completed an
honours degree in psychology in three
years through Unisa and also a three-year
masters degree in Palliative Care by
correspondence with the University of
Cape Town.
For good measure, while in Johannesburg,
she obtained a business management
certificate through Wits University. As if this
was not sufficient she also wrote a book she
called “De-stress Your Dissertation: A mindful
approach to mediating the rigours of
post-grad research.” She also has her own
e-book on Amazon.
In 2016, McGarvie moved to St Francis
Bay with her partner, James Briggs, who
has his own agricultural development and
irrigation design business. While there she
did private counseling and coaching.
McGarvie also enjoys travelling and has
visited the United Kingdom (twice), France
(three times), Mauritius, Malawi and
K e n ya .
She joined the Settlers Park
management staff last year and
immediately made her presence felt in the
Care Centre.
She lives with her parents at Barville
Park near Port Alfred, one of only a few
fortified farms remaining in the Eastern
Cape.
TOP NURSING SISTER: Highly qualified nursing sister, Susan McGarvie, at
her desk as manager of the Care Centre at Settlers Park Picture: BOB FORD
Nemato Change a Life news
No load-shedding for NCAL
The Nemato Change a Life (NCAL) Centre is now off
the grid and running fully on solar power. NCAL founder
Jan Blom said a special thanks to all the donors who
made this possible.
He also commented it was a pity that NCAL is not
allowed to feed its surplus electricity back into the grid.
“But what an inappropriate pleasure it is when the
power is down in our community and we are the bright
spot in a dark township,” said Blom.
Violence no more
The Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) started in
New York and has spread all over the world, and now,
for the first time, is also in Nemato.
The workshops are held to help participants develop
skills to solve conflict without using violence.
“This is much needed in our often violent
communit y,” commented Blom. “Thanks to volunteers
Pauline and Les Mitchell for running the workshops.”
People from the local KFC – NCAL’s Add Hope food
donor – visited the organisation, enjoyed watching our
sports activities and spoiled members with chicken,
caps and more. “It was finger lickin’ good,” said Blom.
Add Hope will continue to be the main funder of the
NCAL feeding programme in 2019, for the third year in a
r o w.
“Keep us in mind next time you visit a KFC,” Blom
a s ke d .
Career expo
The PE TVET College team came to Port Alfred for a
career expo to inform school pupils of what study
opportunities are available at the college.
NCAL revived this old tradition of career expos and
aim to make it an annual event. In 2019, NCAL hopes to
get universities on board too.
Blom sent his thanks to the Ndlambe Municipality for
the lunch and the Titi Jonas Multi-Purpose Centre for
the facility.
Books galore
NCAL received a large donation of books and wall
posters in isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English from
Biblionef. As a way of saying thanks for the donation,
NCAL did community service by helping a preschool
around the corner to get their vegetable garden back on
t rack.
NCAL is busy finishing its new centre, painting walls
and hanging pictures – “Shot in Nemato” made by Shot
in Soweto photographers.
The flag comes from the roof of one the strongest
rowing clubs – Leander, in England – in the world as
rated by the number of Olympians it produces.
They donated their flag to inspire NCAL to aim for the
top.
Musical interlude
Piano problems persisted and NCAL’s old piano is in
very bad shape, but the club now has a new keyboard,
to the delight of the members. It has many fantastic
sounds and a great piano feel, said Blom.
“Youtube is our teacher and we have talent in
abundance,” Blom continued.
School, university and college news
“Our two students at the University of Johannesburg
passed their years. Lindokuhle Nikelo is doing a
Bachelors degree in accounting and Buhle Ngcelwane
in biokinetics. Well done, guys,” said Blom.
“Congratulations to Thembani James who, after
many years in our programme as a rower, is now
employed as rowing coach by Buffalo Rowing Club in
East London.”
At the start of 2018, Nemato rower Odwa Ntamo was
offered the opportunity to move from grade 10 in his
township school to grade 11 in Grey High School in Port
Elizabeth.
The only problem was bridging the gap from a
township school to a top school so late in his school
career which was a tough challenge. One that Odwa
was up for. He passed grade 11 and will be in matric this
y e a r.
“What a great achievement,” said Blom. “Many
thanks to his generous donor.”
The Matinyana Bursary Fund, with the help of donors
in the Netherlands, supported 11 disadvantaged pupils
from the townships in 2018. Congratulations to
Siyamthanda Mahabeni for graduating with distinctions.
MEALTIME DELIGHT: Staff from the Port Alfred KFC visited NCAL recently to see how the club’s
sporting activities were progressing and brought lunch with them for the NCAL members to enjoy
P.A.
33 VAN DER RIET STREET
TEL: 046 624 1117
TOASTIES AND CHIPS
R40
BEEF BURGER AND CHIPS
R55
T-BONE STEAK AND CHIPS
R110
DEEP FRIED HAKE AND CHIPS R85
DEEP FRIED HAKE NUGGETS R60
CRUMBED CHICKEN STRIPS AND CHIPS R60
BBQ PORK RIBS WITH POTATO SKINS R95
STICKY CHICKEN WINGS BASKET R70
MYPOND FAMILY BASKET
R130
BILTONG AND DROEWORS BASKET R45
WE SERVE DELICIOUS FOOD
Tel: 082 468 1416
Restaurant at the Ski Boat Club
Non Ski Boat Club Members Welcome
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 9:30am - 9pm
Mondays - Closed (Gone Fishing) Sunday: 9am - 4pm
Tuesday: Steak and Chips - R75
Wednesday: Prawns (150g) R70
(300g) R120
Thursday: Lamb Chops, Chips & Salad - R70
Saturday: Saucy Burger and Chips - R55
Sunday: Buy 3 Meals, get the
Cheapest One FREE.
FRIDAY’S FABULOUS FISH BRAAI
NOW ALSO IN THE EVENING - R55
12:00 - 15:00 AND 17:30 - 20:00
PLEASE MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR OUR
SPECIALS TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
T’s&C’s: Specials apply to eat in only at Harry B’s.
No beverages to be brought into the premises.