Joan van Rensburg
Fifteen years ago a series of events took place which made me re-evaluate my
life and caused me to get involved with network marketing – I joined AIM.
From a young age I had an interest in nutrition and health care, and in 1985, I
qualified as a Breast Feeding Counsellor with La Leche League, a position I
held for 10 years, and it was through this role that my interest in breast cancer
started. In 1991 I became a shareholder in a whole food company, which led me to
studying, and successfully completing, a Health and Nutrition course. I went on to
open my own nutrition business and become an AIM distributor, within a record time of
two years I achieved Chairman’s Club status. During this time period I also wrote a book on
nutrition, and hosted a live nutrition programme on a local radio station, as well as hosting radio
interviews, and addressing meetings outside of South Africa in Namibia, Swaziland, and the United
Kingdom. I also attended several international nutrition conferences in USA, Canada, Australia and
the UK. I was one of the inaugural committee members of the Business Women’s Association,
Pretoria, and I currently hold the position of Vice Chairlady. My portfolio includes member
recruitment, event organising, and hosting of the monthly meetings when the Chairlady is
unavailable. During 2004 I became more involved with breast cancer, and took on the task of
arranging, and hosting, charity breakfasts to increase the awareness of breast cancer. In 2006
together with a multi-disciplinary team of doctors (a radiologist, an oncologist and two surgeons) we
established a breast cancer fund. I am one of the Director’s and also Events coordinator, for the
Eastleigh Breast Care Fund (non-profit organisation). One of my first roles was to source and secure
sponsorship, and to organise the first annual Eastleigh Breast Care Charity Ball. I live in Pretoria,
and I’m married Chris, and we have two grown-up sons, Christopher (27 years old) and Nicolas (24
years old).
