A group of specialist doctors from across the public and private sectors went above and beyond to provide care for epilepsy patients at Groote Schuur Hospital on Saturday, 21 February, offering their skills pro bono to perform life-changing surgeries aimed at preventing future seizures.

In a public health system under pressure due to resource constraints and high patient loads, it is not uncommon for some patients to wait long periods for medical procedures, particularly if their conditions require elective rather than emergency surgeries.

In response, some doctors are going above and beyond to help ensure greater equitability in access to care. That is what happened on Saturday, 21 February 2026, when specialists from the public and private sectors came together for an epilepsy surgery initiative at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, which brought relief for two patients who had been waiting for surgery for two years.

The Restoring Independence through Surgery for Epilepsy (Rise) initiative aims to provide ring-fenced epilepsy surgery theatre lists at the hospital, facilitating surgical care for adults with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

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"Epilepsy is the second-most-common neurological condition after stroke, but there's still all the stigma associated with it... While [epilepsy surgery] is not an option for everyone, if you carefully select your patients, it really offers them a lot of opportunities... and the fact that this is being done at a public hospital is really great. We're hoping to build momentum, make it sustainable here," said Dr Aayesha Soni,...