For many tourists, South Africa is a place of wildlife, beauty, and adventure. For Manon Rouwette-Janssen, it became the place where her life was pieced back together.
St Lucia, South Africa (11 September 2025) – When Dutch tourist Manon Rouwette-Janssen returned to South Africa this year, it wasn’t for a safari or a sightseeing trip. It was to reconnect with the trauma team at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital, who had once held her life and her mobility in their hands.
Her journey is one of misfortune turned into gratitude, resilience and the kindness of strangers who became her lifeline.
Manon and her husband first explored southern Africa 24 years ago, travelling through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe on a camping tour.
“Somehow the light in South Africa is different, with beautiful sunsets. The people here are very friendly, and we like how multicultural your country is – and the delicious food,” she recalls.
Two years ago, they returned with their children to experience South Africa’s wildlife. But while in St Lucia in August 2023, disaster struck. A boating accident left Manon with a spinal compression fracture. She was airlifted by Netcare 911 to Netcare St Anne’s Hospital’s Level 1 trauma centre.
“As a Dutch tourist, I felt extremely vulnerable in a foreign hospital with a broken back. I cannot express my gratitude enough, not only for the high standard of medical care, but also for the approachability of the healthcare team,” Manon says.
Her trauma care was immediate and precise. A CT scan confirmed the fracture and neurosurgeon Dr Sandile Ngwenya stepped in.
“An intervertebral disc was compressing Mrs Rouwette-Janssen’s spinal cord. It was clear she would need surgery before she could safely travel home,” he explains.
Convincing her insurance company to approve the surgery was another challenge but the team’s determination meant Manon received the spinal decompression and fusion she urgently needed.
What stood out most to Manon was the teamwork. Specialists from across disciplines collaborated daily: trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, physiotherapists, an occupational therapist, and clinical psychologist Prishika Pillay.
“There is another aspect I found very special… the multidisciplinary co-operation of the healthcare professionals working together as a team,” Manon shares. “In the Netherlands, this is rather rare.” Pillay adds, “When included in a trauma team, a psychologist can provide treatment earlier, helping to prevent post-traumatic stress. Treating the whole person improves outcomes.”
After surgery and rehabilitation, Manon returned home lying horizontally across multiple airline seats, thanks to the persistence of Dr Ngwenya. Her Dutch doctors later praised the surgery performed in South Africa, describing it as world-class. Two years on, Manon made the journey back to KwaZulu-Natal to stand before the team who gave her a second chance.
“It was important to me to return to South Africa, as after an experience like mine, the fear that something bad might happen again should not hold you back. Seeing the whole team once more was the greatest gift I could imagine,” she says.
Her voice softens when she reflects, “I wish to thank all the members of the trauma team, from the top, middle and bottom of my heart. I am really very grateful for everything they all did for me.”
What began as a terrifying accident became a story of medical excellence, teamwork and compassion. And perhaps most importantly, it is a reminder that South Africa is not just a place of beauty and adventure, but also of extraordinary care and humanity.
by 