The biography of Dr Hannah-Reeve Sanders, the first female Chief Medical Superintendent of Groote Schuur Hospital

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dc.contributor.advisorEhlers, Antonen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBloch, Leila R.en_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-03-11T08:36:00Z
dc.date.accessioned2022-04-29T09:30:35Z
dc.date.available2022-03-11T08:36:00Z
dc.date.available2022-04-29T09:30:35Z
dc.date.issued2022-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Known by the phrase, ‘The country girl who did good,’ Dr Hannah-Reeve-Sanders was committed to the idea of becoming a doctor from a young age. Through a biographical sketch beginning in 1928 until 1998, this thesis explores the influences that informed her rural JewishAfrikaans upbringing in Piketberg. This continues through to her studies in Cape Town and subsequent working life as the first woman to hold the position of Chief Medical Superintendent at Groote Schuur Hospital from 1976 to 1986. Sanders’ story, in particular, serves as a critical lens from the perspective of a female doctor into notions of ‘achievement’ and ‘success’ within the medical field in South Africa during the middle to late 20th century. By situating Sanders’ biographical perspective within the context of the history of South African women in medicine, this thesis brings into relief the tensions between clinical and administrative medicine and the ‘costs’ of navigating a successful career within a maledominated profession, as well as an institutional framework under the constraints of external political forces. Through Sanders one can challenge one-dimensional, idealised portrayals of what it means to achieve status as a doctor, by highlighting the gaps and complexities within her life story. This study further illustrates how she ambitiously subscribed to the paradigm of a good doctor from a young age. Hannah’s parents' journey to South Africa typifies a South African Jewish migration story. However, it was elements of her Afrikaner identity that would allow her freedom to adapt and lead institutions during her career. From another perspective, Sanders’ choice to follow a seemingly unassuming path later into administrative medicine yielded influence and saw her adapt to key historical moments such as the first heart transplant. Bearing in mind the constraints imposed by the provincial government at the time, this study assesses whether she was able to break barriers or to ‘toe the line’ in her leadership position. With respect to a careful rendering of the historical context, coupled with her later responses in interviews, the study aims to evaluate the extent to which she brought humanising elements and ‘integrity’ into a ‘compromised’ institution. It places into relief the environments which influenced her and how she may have influenced her environment. Through her experiences we come to understand issues regarding race, gender, and class in the medical institutions in which she operated, and the extent to which these obstacles determined her responses. Steering clear of hagiography, this study does not seek to idealise or embellish any of her achievements, but rather depict how our subject is situated within the historical context. Sanders’ achievements come to be understood alongside the complex environments from which such ambitions and opportunities to practise medicine emerge. It demonstrates that while there were significant attempts on her part to transcend social and political constraints, she remained accountable to structures of power which may have influenced her actions.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bekend as, “Die plattelandse meisie wat goed gedoen het,” was Dr Hannah-Reeve Sanders sedert haar kinderjare toegewy aan die idee om dokter te word. Deur ‘n biografiese skets wat in 1928 begin, word die invloede van haar landelike Joods-Afrikaanse opvoeding in Piketberg verken. Haar studies aan die Universiteit Kaapstad, sowel as haar loopbaan as die eerste vroulike Hoof Mediese Superintendent by Groote Schuur Hospitaal (1976-1986) word hierna verken. Sanders se besondere storie dien as ‘n kritiese lens vanuit die perspektief van 'n vroulike dokter, veral met betrekking tot idees van ‘prestasie’ en ‘sukses’ binne die SuidAfrikaanse mediese veld tydens die middel tot laat 20ste eeu. Deur Sanders se biografiese perspektief binne die konteks van die geskiedenis van Suid-Afrikaanse vroue in die mediese beroep te plaas, belig hierdie studie: die spanning tussen kliniese en administratiewe medisyne; die ‘prys’ van ‘n suksesvolle loopbaan binne ‘n manlik gedomineerde beroep; 'n institusionele raamwerk onder die beperkings van eksterne politieke magte. Deur Sanders kan ‘n mens eendimensionele, geïdealiseerde uitbeeldings van wat dit beteken om status as ‘n dokter te bereik uitdaag, deur die gapings en kompleksiteite in haar lewensverhaal uit te lig. Verder illustreer hierdie studie hoe sy sedert haar jeugjare ambisieus geidentifiseer het met die paradigma van 'n goeie dokter. Hannah se ouers se immigrasie na Suid-Afrika is ‘n tipiese Suid-Afrikaanse Joodse migrasie storie. Dit ten spyt was dit juis elemente van haar verworwe Afrikaner identiteit wat haar die vryheid gegee het om met instellings te identifiseer en daarin leiding te neem. Vanuit ‘n ander perspektief, het Sanders se besluit om ‘n skynbaar beskeie pad na administratiewe medisyne te volg haar invloed besorg en getoon hoe sy aanpas by belangrike historiese oomblikke, soos die eerste hartoorplanting. Die studie poog om aan te toon of sy beduidende verandering kon teweegbring deur haar leierskapsposisie en of sy die status quo gehandhaaf het – met inagneming van die beperkings wat die destydse provinsiale regering opgelê het. Met inagneming van historiese konteks in tandem met haar reaksies in latere onderhoude poog die tesis om te evalueer in watter mate sy daarin geslaag het om elemente van menslikheid en integriteit na “gekompromiteerde” instellings waarby sy betrokke was te bring. Dit belig die omgewings wat haar beïnvloed het en hoe sy moontlik haar omgewings beïnvloed het. Deur haar ervarings kry ons begrip vir kwessies rakende ras, geslag, en klas in die mediese instellings waarin sy gefunksioneer het, en die mate waarin hierdie struikelblokke haar reaksies bepaal het. Hierdie studie wil hagiografie vermy, en poog daarom om nie enige van haar prestasies te idealiseer of te oorskat nie, maar eerder om dit uit te beeld binne die historiese konteks waarvan sy deel was. Sanders se prestasies word verstaan binne die komplekse omgewings waaruit sulke ambisies en geleenthede om medisyne te beoefen, voortspruit. Die tesis demonstreer dat terwyl sy beduidende pogings aangewend het om sosiale en politieke beperkings te oorkom, sy aanspreeklik gebly het teenoor magstrukture wat haar optrede moontlik beïnvloed het.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extent198 pages : illustrations, mapen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124749
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectSanders, Hannah-Reeveen_ZA
dc.subjectPhysicians -- South Africa -- Biographyen_ZA
dc.subjectHospitals -- Medical staff --Biographyen_ZA
dc.subjectJewish women physicians -- South Africa -- Biographyen_ZA
dc.subjectGroote Schuur Hospital (Cape Town, South Africa)en_ZA
dc.subjectUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleThe biography of Dr Hannah-Reeve Sanders, the first female Chief Medical Superintendent of Groote Schuur Hospitalen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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