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Growing Our Workforce, One Bursary at a Time

Building palliative care capacity means investing in the people who deliver it. Thanks to the generous support of our donor, PALPRAC has awarded a series of bursaries in 2026. Recipients come from areas with limited access to palliative care. Each one is positioned to lead advocacy and service development in their own community.

Nursing Scholarships: CCPN

For the first time, PALPRAC has extended formal scholarship support to nurses completing the APCC Certificate Course in Palliative Nursing. This year’s recipients are:

  • Sr Robyn Greyling (Gauteng, Zazen Respite Care). She hopes to expand access for patients without medical aid, and to mentor young nurses entering the field.
  • Sr Ruth Birtwhistle (KwaZulu-Natal, Othandweni Hospice). She brings over a decade of community health experience and is committed to mentoring colleagues in resource-constrained settings.

Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Medicine: UCT

Three clinicians received partial scholarships this year, each paired with a structured mentorship programme. All three are strengthening services in under-resourced provinces:

  • Patrick Molelekwa (Northern Cape). He is working to expand sustainable palliative care services across the public health sector, despite the province’s vast distances.
  • Dr Jolene Arries (Western Cape). She is building a functional interdisciplinary team and embedding palliative care into everyday practice.
  • Dr Anne Armour (KwaZulu-Natal). She is growing paediatric palliative care and supporting district-level champions.

Applications Now Open: Social Work Bursary

Building on this momentum, PALPRAC has opened applications for the 2026 Social Work Palliative Care Bursary. Six partial bursaries of R3,000 are available, towards approved introductory or psychosocial courses. Applications close 31 October 2026. Early submission is encouraged.

Each of these bursaries reflects PALPRAC’s commitment to a strong, multidisciplinary palliative care workforce. Together, they reach further into the communities that need it most. Congratulations to all our recipients. To prospective social work applicants: we look forward to receiving your applications.

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