Soweto TV’s talk show host and medical doctor, Dr Prudence Buthelezi, has added another title to her name.
She just became an author and published her first book, Fortitude.
The mum of two from Soshanguve in Tshwane spoke to SunBuzz about her book and what inspired it.
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“Fortitude was launched on 3 December 2022, which was International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The book supports people living with disabilities and parents raising children with special needs. I was inspired firstly by my sister who was involved in a pedestrian vehicle accident in 1985 at the age of nine. She spent nine months in the intensive care unit. Unfortunately, she became quadriplegic with brain injuries,” said Dr Prudence.
“She couldn’t talk or walk but physiotherapists, speech therapists and occupational therapists played a major role as her condition improved. She changed from quadriplegic to paraplegic and was able to talk. So, the book emphasises the importance of a medical multidisciplinary approach,” she said.
She said the book also teaches about raising children with special needs.
“As a doctor, I consult with many parents raising children with special needs such as cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, albinism and other conditions.
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“I see them going through self-blame, depression and not coping with raising their children and not having support.
“The book teaches them where to run to, and what they should do when they experience the caring burnout.”
The doctor talked about her show, Ezempilo/Zwamutakalo, which airs on Soweto TV every Tuesday at 7pm.
“In August 2021 I started on YouTube with my show called Ezempilo/Zwamutakalo. On the show, I invited specialist doctors like physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dieticians and patients who suffer from different medical conditions. We would discuss those medical disorders in our different African languages,” she said.
“In June 2022, Soweto TV approached me to air my show on their channel.
“This has been my dream as I would now be known as ‘udokotela wase TV’. I believe this show is the best health programme and has so much potential. It deserves to be on big media screens such as SABC, Moja Love or even Mzanzi Magic, so that many people in our communities can get this information and be able to take care of their health,” she said.
mpilo/Zwamutakalo on Soweto TV (DStv channel 251) every Tuesday at 7pm
