21 Dr Prinitha Pillay MBBCh, MSc, MMed, FC Rad Onc Dr Pillay has worked in the medical eld for just over 25 years. After graduating with a BSc Hons. in Molecular Biology in 1996 at University of Witwatersrand and as a doctor in 2003, she joined Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and over the next 10 years worked in many different settings from Lesotho, Sudan, India, Sierra Leone and Libya. She served as President of MSF in South Africa and on the board internationally; and was featured in the top 10 Women in Health by the Mail and Guardian in 2011. Upon returning to South Africa, she worked as a technical specialist on HIV/TB with the University of Witwatersrand, and for the Rural Health Advocacy Project advocating for better access for those living in rural areas. She served as an independent panelist on the South African Human Right Commission that investigated access to emergency services as a basic human right. During this time, she completed a Master's in Infectious Diseases and Global Policy from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She then attained a Fellowship in Oncology and a Masters in Medicine in 2019. This month we are proud to showcase the remarkable artwork of Dr Prinitha Pillay, an oncologist in private practice in Johannesburg and a valued member of the Gauteng Uro-Oncology Multidisciplinary Team. Beyond her medical expertise, Dr. Pillay is a talented artist whose work deeply resonates with the cancer community. This opportunity to showcase her work is a tting highlight for the last issue of the magazine for the year. Dr. Pillay's art series is a profound expression of both personal and professional catharsis. She describes it as a way to “touch the intangible pain of my patients and myself.” Her pieces reect the solitary struggles faced by those battling cancer and other diseases, including mental health challenges. Through her art, Dr. Pillay captures not only the pain but also the enduring spirit and hope that shine through adversity. This powerful connection to the cancer experience makes her work a meaningful addition to our magazine's efforts to inspire and uplift our readers. Canvas of Courage An oncologist's depictions of the emotional triad of fear, overwhelming uncertainty, and unrelenting hope faced by patients diagnosed with cancer and mental illness. Title: “Locked in Love” This painting is a vivid, emotional tribute to my late father, who lived with dementia and locked-in syndrome during the nal two years of his life. Created through an intuitive process of layering vibrant colours, his essence emerged organically on the canvas, hunched over, a gure woven from complex, interwoven hues that reect the depth of his spirit. The heavy dark grey crowning the composition symbolizes the weight of those challenging nal years, transitioning into chaotic greys that lighten as they descend, revealing the Mini-Mental State Examination, a test used for assessing cognitive impairment. This test was a source of pride for my father, who relished outsmarting his geriatrician with his sharp wit, a rare spark of triumph in his constrained world. As both a daughter and an oncologist, I grapple with the duality of love and professional responsibility, a tension that permeates the work. The painting holds my deepest regret: never asking him how to ease his suffering if locked-in syndrome claimed him. Amid the sorrow, a cluster of colourful sticks in the corner shines as a beacon of hope, representing the caregivers—whose wicked humour and unconditional love brought joy to his days in ways I couldn't. Their presence was a saving grace, a reminder of light amid the grief. This piece captures my father—my everything—his resilience, complexity, and the enduring love we shared. It is a testament to his life, his struggles, and the caregivers who became family. I miss him deeply, and this painting carries that longing into the world.
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