The Doris Crossley Foundation would like to congratulate Matthew Gallant, who joined the DCF programme in 2019 as an MBChB student at the University of Cape Town.
After six years of dedication and hard work, Matthew has successfully completed his medical degree. We are incredibly proud of his achievement and wish him all the best as he begins the next chapter of his journey in the medical field.
Reflecting on his journey in the programme, Matthew shared:
At the end of every report I have written to the Doris Crossley Foundation over the last six years, I have always thanked you for your continued support of my dream. I want you to take a moment and revel in the fact that this journey together has been a success. You have helped to produce a graduate.
I am writing to you from my new apartment, in my new home city (Johannesburg), after a long day of working as Doctor in paediatrics at Far East Rand Hospital. I cannot believe that after six years I am finally able to construct a sentence like this. I feel accomplished, proud, but most of all, grateful.
During my most recent 24hr call, I resuscitated two babies. I was the only doctor attending to them and both came out alive and well. I want to thank you for providing me with the opportunities and financial backing that allowed me to be in that room, at that time, to make a difference to the lives of those two infants. You have played a part in saving them, and going forward, you will play a part in the lives of all those I help.
I hope to one day find a way to pay it forward for you. Please know that the work you are doing is important. You are helping people make something of themselves, without the added burden of debt or needing to work back what we owe you. You are finding young individuals and on the merit of their work, saying “I believe in you”. That’s powerful. That’s pure. That’s not something that often exists in this world. I am glad you believed in me.
Thank you, Baie Dankie, Enkosi.
– Dr Matthew Gallant
