Dr Sindisiwe Doreen Van Zyl

I will never forget meeting you during my undergrad years. We were in Rahima Moosa. I was in one of my worst rotations. You shone. You floated. Untouchable. Nothing could hide your light. I couldn't believe one could be a doctor and yet be so happy! I followed. I had to understand what and why you loved what you did. You changed my life. You added promise and potential to a profession that all too often broke and diminished us as young Black women. And you became a friend. Loving. Accepting without judgement. With arms, heart and mind open wide. I recall keenly the pain of the loss of your mom several years back. How you grew out of that pain and anguish with steely resolve. Oh Sindi, we are so poor. Poor for losing you. Much too soon. You loved and lived like there was no tomorrow. And there will never be anyone like you. It's impossible to crystallize the deep sense of grief. And I still can't process your being gone. This is your brilliance. You got to close and burrowed yourself into our hearts. We could not help but love you. There is a hole in all our hearts that was filled because of you. Thank you for the gift of you.