NWU graduate did not let her condition stop her from achieving her dream

Giving up has never been an option for 23-year-old René Engelbrecht, who recently graduated with her BEd Foundation Phase degree at the North-West University (NWU) cum laude.

Rene was born without a corpus callosum, a band of nerve fibres connecting the left and right sides of the brain. This rare brain defect exists at birth, and statistics have shown that only ten per cent of children born without a corpus callosum eventually grow up normally.

“When my mother was pregnant with me, the radiologist she saw missed it during the sonar sessions; it is a miracle that I am here today because babies diagnosed with this condition are not usually born,” she said.

Because medical miracles happen daily, doctors suspect her brain formed its own bands connecting the left and right sides through her cerebellum, also known as the little brain. In 2013, she was diagnosed with scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine.

This was a significant challenge for her, and she had to stop activities like netball and tennis because they put tremendous strain on her back. “I love sport, and at that stage, I participated in three sports codes at a provincial level. At least I could continue with athletics.”

She says she faced various challenges during high school, but she worked hard and, in 2019, decided to enroll at NWU. “During my four years at university, I have been blessed with friends I will always cherish. They motivated me to keep going and finish my degree. I am not a quitter, and I believe in using every opportunity I get,” René said.

“All glory goes to God for bringing me this far and making it possible for me to live a normal life. I ascended the stage at my graduation with so much gratitude. A feeling of joy and excitement swept over me, and I was ecstatic to finally be a qualified teacher.”

She says she has a great support system behind her and is incredibly grateful for them. “I am fortunate because my parents never made me feel different from other children. They instilled in me the knowledge that I can be successful in life.” She also thanked her siblings, family, her best friend and other friends because they gave her advice when she needed it most and encouraged and stood by her throughout the good and tough times.

“I grew up on a farm; that is where my love of nature comes from. That is where you will find me. I also love spending time with family and friends and always cherish such moments.” René is currently a teacher at a school in De Aar in the Northern Cape.

“I am a Grade 1 teacher, and I am enjoying every moment. God can perform wonders and I look forward to the remarkable things He will place on my path.” I hope my testimony inspires students and parents. May we never forget that miracles still happen.