“Remember to celebrate each goal – it does not matter how small,” says University of Pretoria (UP) student Adel Cato.

Anyone would do well to heed her advice. In July 2018, Cato was hit by a car in Hatfield, leaving her with serious head injuries and in a coma for three months. She slowly regained full consciousness and, after two years of rehabilitation at home, Mediclinic Muelmed and Groenkloof in Gauteng, Cato is finally able to resume her studies and focus on completing her BCom Human Resources degree.

While the accident left her with some physical challenges, it has given her a new perspective on the value of life.

“Unfortunately any accident like this will always leave you with emotional scars,” she says. “Physically, my eyesight and speech were affected. And while, I will never be able to play netball again, I can still see and walk. Thus I am grateful.”

She is also grateful for the fact that she could study remotely. “Online classes gave me a huge advantage, because I had a lot of physical limitations,” she says. “I was so thankful to be back in class and now even more so to be on campus again.

Despite the advantages of remote learning, she says it was “terribly challenging to study again”.

“There are a lot of challenges to studying again, and I overcame them by staying positive and focused. I am also grateful to my friends, UP lecturers and my family for being around when I needed them, especially Uncle Sakkie van Greunen, Professor Alewyn Nel, Licinda Pienaar, Adri Fourie and my house parents at residence.”

In celebration of Women’s Month, Cato says this: “Living in a democratic era means women should use their voices to make a positive impact in society by empowering and motivating other women. We should also support one another in our careers.”

Her advice is to take each day as it comes, and to set goals and milestones. “Enjoy life, eat that chocolate cake and drink that glass of wine. Laugh more and hate less. Make the best out of what you have.”