Giving up has never been an option for 23-year-old René Engelbrecht, who recently graduated with her BEd Foundation Phase degree at the North-West University (NWU). She obtained her degree with cum laude.

She was born without a corpus callosum, which is a band of nerve fibres connecting the left and right sides of the brain.

This is a rare brain defect existing at birth and statistics have proven that only 10% of children born without a corpus callosum eventually grow up normally.

“When my mother was pregnant with me, the radiologist she saw missed this during the sonar sessions and it is a miracle that I am here today, because babies who are diagnosed with this condition do not usually get born.” Because medical miracles take place every day, doctors now suspect that her brain formed its own bands connecting the left and right sides of her brain through her cerebellum, also known as the little brain.

In 2013 she was diagnosed with scoliosis, which is a sideways curvature of the spine. This was a major challenge for her, and she had to stop activities such as netball and tennis because they put tremendous strain on her back.

“I love sport and at that stage I was participating in three sports codes at a provincial level, but at least I managed to continue partaking in athletics.”

She mentions that she faced various difficult challenges during high school, but she worked hard and in 2019 decided to enrol at the NWU.

“During the four years I spent at university, I have been blessed with friends whom I will always cherish, and they motivated me to keep going and finish my degree. I am not a quitter and I believe in making use of every opportunity presented to me.”

René faces everyday challenges, but none of these is because of the absence of the corpus callosum.

“All glory goes to God for bringing me this far and for making it possible for me to live a normal life. I ascended the stage at my graduation with so much gratitude, a feeling of joy and excitement swept over me, and I was ecstatic to finally be a qualified teacher.”

She mentions that she has a great support system behind her and that she is incredibly grateful for them. “I am fortunate because my parents never made me feel like I was different from other children. They instilled in me the knowledge that I can be successful in life.” She also thanks her siblings, family, her best friend and other friends because they gave her advice when she needed it most and encouraged and stood by her throughout the good and tough times.

“I grew up on a farm and that is where my love of nature comes from, and that is where you will find me. I also love spending time with family and friends and always cherish such moments.”

René is currently a teacher at a school in De Aar in the Northern Cape. “I am a Grade 1 teacher, and I am enjoying every moment. God can perform wonders and I look forward to the remarkable things He will place on my path.”

“I hope my testimony inspires students and parents. May we never forget that miracles still happen.”

René Engelbrecht