On 23 November 2023, Dr Cecile du Toit delivered her valedictory lecture at the Department’s weekly academic forum. Dr du Toit has worked as a Consultant in the Division of Clinical Haematology since 1996 and will retire at the end of November 2023.

She will continue to do voluntary sessional work in the Division from 2024. In her valedictory lecture she traced the history of leukaemia from its early descriptions, through the incredible scientific breakthroughs that have enabled cure of this condition and the evolution of modern approaches to stem cell transplantation. She wove into this story how her own interest in haematology was piqued, the story of those who influenced her career, and the progression of her own career in haematology to becoming a nationally recognised expert in the field of stem cell transplantation.

We wish her well in her retirement and thank her for her many contributions to the academic life of the Department and her dedication to excellence in patient care at Groote Schuur Hospital.