The 2020 Sponsors of Brave campaign – a partnership between Adcock Ingram OTC and News24 – aims to celebrate the unsung heroes and brave professionals in healthcare. In particular, season 2 recognises that pursuing a career in healthcare during the height of a pandemic is the definition of a Generation of Brave and aims to shine a spotlight on the succession of healthcare heroes.

Setting the bar high

Season 1 of the Sponsors of Brave campaign was a runaway success, showcasing the depth and breadth of heroism all around us. Some 3800 heroes from the front lines of healthcare in South Africa were nominated and 12 finalists emerged to have their stories shared and amplified. By the end of the competition, over 3.2 million readers engaged with the campaign, and two worthy winners were chosen, earning R25,000 for each of their preferred charities and a trip to an overseas medical conference of their choosing.

Nominations cast a wide net, culminating with two winning entries: Pharmacist and community cornerstone Nontutuzelo Sibango from the Eastern Cape who captured the public’s heart through her work supporting young athletes in her community and clinic founder Dr Hugo Templeman of Ndlovu Care Group in Limpopo was the Judges choice

Yudhveer Singh, spokesperson for Adcock Ingram OTC Division remarked that “We were blown away by the scale of nominations and the calibre of the healthcare professionals who ultimately won in the first season. It is exciting to anticipate what new champions season 2 will introduce as we recognise aspiring healthcare professionals who personified practicing the Hippocratic oath during Covid-19”.

Time to step up

Now, as our energy to face what is left of 2020 wanes, we need fresh faces that bring new stories and successes to celebrate and reinvigorate the nation. This is why the focus for season 2 is on students, graduates and those in community service gearing up to enter the healthcare profession during this unprecedented time in history.

Despite everything 2020 has thrown at them – business and school closures, shrinking term dates, rising unemployment, and exceptional uncertainty – our budding healthcare professionals have proven to be resilient.

“This year has been incredibly trying, but our Sponsors of Brave campaign is all about hope and heroism,” says Andrea Firth, Commercial Editor of BrandStudio at 24.com “Bravery is not about the absence of fear, but of continuing on despite it. We want to give credit where it is due, and we want to demonstrate to this next generation – who have already faced so much – that we believe in them, and we will invest in them and their futures.”

Are you part of the next generation of Brave? Nominate and win.

Are you an aspiring, current or recently graduated healthcare student or currently completing your community service year? Adcock Ingram OTC and News24 are encouraging you to nominate yourself or a deserving candidate and you could win one of 10 x R5000 weekly prizes.

In addition, featured nominees could also stand a chance to win an impactful mentorship and two lucky students will walk away with R25,000 towards their studies.

Mentor’s will also be in line to win a trip to an overseas medical conference of their choice to the value of R50,000 and the opportunity to pay-it-forward by donating R25,000 to any registered NPO charity they wish to support.

Visit https://partners.24.com/SponsorsofBrave/ website for more entry criteria, and to nominate yourself, a worthy candidate or to become a mentor.