About Me
Joan van Rensburg
I grew up in a loving Christian home, where my mother (a nursing sister) played a huge role in defining my destiny. Today at 83 years old, she is still my role model and my ‘best friend.’ We have many doctors in our family and from a young age I took an interest in nutrition and health care. 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 wholefood company, with Mary-Ann Shearer of The Natural Way, which led me to studying, and successfully completing, a Health and Nutrition course. I went on to open my own Health and Wellness business and during this time period I also wrote a booklet on natural health and recipes, and hosted a live nutrition programme on a local Christian radio station, as well as participating in radio and TV interviews, and addressing meetings outside of South Africa in Namibia, Swaziland, the USA and the United Kingdom. I also attended several international health conferences in USA, Canada, Australia and the UK.
I was one of the inaugural committee members of the Business Women’s Association, Pretoria, and held the position of Vice Chairlady for many years. My portfolio included member recruitment, event organising, and hosting of the monthly meetings when the Chairlady was unavailable.
During 2003 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, a doctor practicing oncology and two surgeons) we established a breast cancer fund. I am one of the Director’s and also Events co-ordinator, for the Eastleigh Breast Care Fund (non-profit organisation). One of my first roles was to source and secure sponsorship, and to organise the annual Eastleigh Breast Care Centre’s charity event. It was at one of these functions I met the then Deputy Minister of Health for South Africa, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, who is very supportive of breast cancer, and related issues.
I presently run my wellness centre at the Eastleigh Medical Centre in the east of Pretoria. My passion being the education of women in taking responsibility for their own health and learning how to make wiser choices and exercising more discernment in the way they nourish their families. My focus is also on encouraging women that ‘menopause’ need not be a ‘midlife crisis’ but can be a natural and exciting transition in this season of her life.
My greatest reward is to make a difference by improving the quality of the lives of the people who come across my path.
I live in Pretoria, with my husband Chris, and we have two grown-up sons, Christopher and Nicolas.
Photos
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