I joined TASK in 2012, when I didn’t know much about research, but was eager to learn, and happy to be employed at my advanced years!!

I was presented with an empty room and asked to establish a pharmacy, learn my way around the computer, do a G.C.P. course etc. etc. All very interesting and fun.

My first trial at TASK Brooklyn was the Otsuka trial. My pharmacy was a cupboard and I dispensed on a large table in what is now the nurses office. It was quite challenging and my thoughts turned to an actual room in which I could work.

I requested one and was given half of a garage which we converted into a small pharmacy. A big step up!!

Over time this was enlarged to occupy the whole garage. Another step up!! I was now doing the Otsuka and Opti-Q trials at Brooklyn, and then going to Bellville to do the very laborious Astra Zeneca trial. Then HAPPINESS in early 2013 Christelle, a pharmacist’s assistant arrived. She proved to be a lot more than an assisstant and knew a lot about how a trial pharmacy should operate. I learned at her feet and soon the pharmacy was first class.

Then a new pharmacist, Rene joined in Bellville and I continued at Brooklyn.

Then Ezanda arrived and our pharmacy was registered, another milestone!

Then at the end of 2017 the pharmacy was greatly enlarged and we moved into it in December.

Now Nicola is the Responsible pharmacist, and I will sadly leave at the end of July.

So that is my journey from a cupboard to palaltial pharmacy.

So thank you to everyone who taught me so much and so enriched my “retirement”

Good-bye and God bless.

Eugenie Gordon-Graham Pharmacist

Delft Clinic Community Centre & the Community Advisory Board (CAB) celebrated Mandela Day with elderly people from Delft, encouraging people to visit the clinic and educating them about airborne diseases.

After the #67minutes of care our lab team recently undertook at the Parow clinic, there was some food left over and Alta from the lab saw the need to go give the car guards at the local Spar parking something to eat for lunch. We just happened to catch this good deed on camera.

TB Alliance – Community Engagement Fellowship program recently visited Madibeng Research Site in Brits.

The purpose of the fellowship was to bring communities together and establish learning programmes through activities that improves the society’s knowledge about TB Research and other health issues concerning clinical trials. Community Advisory Boards members came together to highlight and discuss challenges that the communities are facing and mostly how the communities view research.

TB room sisters and facility managers from the Winelands district are excited for their site visit to TASK Clinical Research Centre in Bellville.

The purpose of their visit is to view the facilities first hand and learn more about processes that take place in research.

Dr Justine Fargher from MSF in Khayelitsha visited TASK to talk about the activities MSF is undertaking in the community.

Their scope of work spans everything from HIV and drug resistant TB to women’s health and substance abuse.