I am deeply honoured and humbled to be selected as the Student of the Month recipient for February 2024. First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to CASA who deemed me worthy of this recognition. It is truly a privilege to be acknowledged in such a way, and I am sincerely grateful to be able to share my journey in Chiropractic. My name is Karisa Pillay and I am a chiropractic student at the Durban University of Technology. I matriculated in the year 2015 at Wingen Heights Secondary, in Shallcross. My journey in chiropractic started in the year of 2017, I had originally studied Mechanical Engineering for a year prior. However, I found that I did not have a passion for the field and decided not to pursue it any further. It was around this time that my dad visited a local chiropractor to have treatment for his frozen shoulder where I was first exposed to the field and was amazed by the work done. After some research, I found this was the right field for me, it involved assisting people in a holistic approach and understanding more about the human body and its capability. And just like that 6 years later, I am now on my way to completing my Masters. However, this journey did not come without its challenges but through the motivation and support of my family that I have been able to get through these years. Over the past 2 years, I have been selected to be a member of the Golden Key Society in 2022; awarded the CASA Bursary for 2023 as well as contributed to an article about raising awareness about Chiropractic and treating the patients at Dennis Hurley Centre. I have also been very passionate about teaching students more about chiropractic, and I had the opportunity to tutor a few subjects in the various years of study. FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 1 OF 2
Throughout my time here, I have come to understand that success is not solely defined by academic accomplishments but also by the values we uphold, the relationships we build, and the positive impact we strive to make on those around us. It is about being a good friend, a compassionate listener, and a contributing member of our chiropractic community. My class, the lecturers and clinicians from DUT made it such a memorable experience. I would like to take this moment to encourage every one of us to recognize the incredible potential within ourselves and others. We all have unique talents, perspectives, and strengths that, when combined, create a diverse and vibrant community. Let us continue to support one another in our endeavours, celebrate each other’s successes, and learn from our challenges. FEBRUARY 2024 PAGE 2 OF 2