Growing up in rural Eastern Cape, Wendy always had an interest in science. Driven by this interest, she went on to obtain a National Diploma in Biotechnology from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, followed by a Bachelor of Technology degree in Biotechnology from the University of Johannesburg. She enrolled for an MSc in Chemistry in 2019 while working full time.
The focus of her research was evaluating the water quality of her village in the Eastern Cape. She went on to publish some of her findings in peer-reviewed journals as first author, and is currently in the process of publishing more.
Wendy obtained her MSc with distinction and is currently a PhD candidate investigating the water quality in rural communities in two different provinces in South Africa.
Wendy has worked in several industries including wine, pharmaceutical, food and clinical research. The bulk of her professional experience was gained in clinical research as a Medical Scientist on clinical trials at one of the biggest hospitals in South Africa, including some of the SARS-CoV-2 clinical trials where she contributed to various publications.
When a family member suffered a stroke, she witnessed at first hand the damage a stroke can do to a patient and their family. The experienced motivated her to join the Angels Initiative in South Africa, where she is responsible for Gauteng South, North West Province and Botswana.
She believes that her experience, skills, and compassion will help in her goal of improving the quality of stroke care in South Africa, and giving stroke patients a second chance at life.
