Mpumalanga award-winning and well-known doctor wants to help others with book
According to Dr Prudence Buthelezi, the book helps to encourage the families and caregivers of people with disabilities.
The award-winning Dr Prudence Buthelezi no longer only heals through her medical profession, she has now released a book to encourage caregivers of people with disabilities.
The book is titled Fortitude and was published by Salmon Publishers.
Also well known for her Ezempilo/Dza mutakalo talk show on Soweto TV (DStv), this health practitioner and co-founder of the National Healthcare Professionals Association said this book shares her personal experience of how her sister’s life changed when she was left with a disability due to a pedestrian accident.
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“This book encourages caregivers of people living with disabilities and family members of those people to adopt fortitude as a way of thinking. It speaks of mental strength as an ability that everyone can develop by seeing the silver lining in stressful circumstances.”
She said she wants to help others learn about living with disability, which she wished she knew when she was young. Buthelezi said her inspiration to pen down this book came after she saw parents raising children with special needs not being able to cope, and realised their lack of understanding their children’s needs.
“Watching them struggle reminded me of how it was while growing up. As a family, we needed to learn how we could help my sister and accommodate her, but we did not have enough information. The parents who will benefit from the book are especially those I see going through depression and divorce, and mothers struggling because the father left due to the child’s condition.
This reminded me of myself, because I struggled to understand too when I was young when I saw my sister. I would sometimes think my parents loved her more than me. I want this book to change the mindset of people who have siblings living with disability. They need to be aware that parents give more attention to the other child because they need it. I want parents to be aware that psychologist support is also important for everyone in the family so they can all understand.”
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Buthelezi said she went through another personal experience when her child was diagnosed with ADHD. “After I was told his diagnosis, I went through depression. Even as a doctor myself, it was hard to accept. Until I started attending therapy. Then I knew how to deal with it and how to treat my son.”
For a copy of the book, contact Buthelezi on 076 147 9524 via WhatsApp.
