Local love birds of doctors tie the knot in Greece

A surgical doctor from Bertha Gxowa hospital, Dr Ferini Dayal-Papagapiou, celebrated her wedding at Myrtos Beach, Greece.

She described the beach’s beauty and the events of her wedding ceremony as magical.

Dayal-Papagapiou is enthusiastic about travelling, learning about diverse cultures and traditions, and discovering breathtaking regions of the globe.

She ended up getting married in Greece, a country that holds a special place in her heart.

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She married Dr Harry Papagapiou, who is also a surgeon.

“I chose to get married there because of how simple life is in that country and the spirit of ubuntu does exist.

“I like to travel since it gives me the chance to encounter various cultures. I used to go along with my father when he travelled when I was a child.

“The beach has been named the greatest Greek beach 12 times and is frequently included in lists of the best beaches.

“We both stood and took in the beauty surrounding us during the ceremony. Despite having busy schedules, it was amazing to stand there and take it all in,” said Dayal-Papagapiou.

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“We (me and my husband) ran into each other a few times while in medical school, but we didn’t know each other.

“Our friends who are now married tried to set us up, but we eventually found each other and that was seven years ago.

“We made the decision to get married three weeks before our trip to Greece. I had the impression that I would always have this significant wedding, but after discussion, we chose to get married at our favourite location,” said Dayal-Papagapiou.

Dayal-Papagapiou is the first and youngest female surgical ambassador for the Smiles Foundation, a philanthropist, and a model.

She represented South Africa in the 60th edition of Miss International after winning the Miss International South Africa.

She also holds two degrees, the first being a biomedical sciences degree with a physiology emphasis and the second being a bachelor of medicine and surgery.

“One of my biggest aspirations is to become a plastic surgeon.

“It is still a dream of mine to enter and win Miss SA pageant. It’s quite exciting that women who were previously excluded from pageants because they were married are now included.

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“I once had a vision board as a child, on which I had images of a doctor, a house, and a crown. I was fairly young when I came up with it, but I’m glad it’s all coming true now.

“Even though it’s challenging, I’ve managed to juggle both careers, being a model and a doctor while having them complement one another. I may use the stage provided by pageantry to discuss my love of medicine.

“Knowing that I could be the first surgeon to win Miss SA and that I could be the first married woman to be crowned is exciting.

“I am aware that winning would break boundaries and encourage more women to step out of their comfort zones,” said Dayal-Papagapiou.
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uring Covid-19, Dayal-Papagapiou worked in the pediatric ward at Baragwanath Hospital.

“I later founded my foundation, which began with a Christmas drive for children, to provide them with a gift during their time in the hospital.

What started as something small grew into a sustainable foundation with so much potential. The Dayal Foundation taught me I can make a difference in the world.

“We have raised R2m across numerous causes and initiatives. I participate in four mayor drives each year, namely, the winter and December drives, and the Mandela Day and the Prim Day projects,” said Dayal-Papagapiou.