Midlands bid farewell to a legend
Sonia Wahl
Midlands Hospital bid farewell to Chief Executive Officer Marie de Vos, who retired on Tuesday, 30 April. De Vos, a graduate of Hoër Volkskool in 1977, pursued a nursing diploma in Bloemfontein and later earned a postgraduate degree in administration from the University of the Free State. She began her career in 1983 as a family assessment senior supervisor in Senekal, eventually expanding her responsibilities across the eastern and southwestern Free State. Over the years, De Vos played pivotal roles in healthcare administration, overseeing clinics and contributing to initiatives such as family planning and primary health care. She highlights that the biggest milestone in her first 20 years with the department was being part of the adjudication team in the Free State tasked with evaluating the best hospital, clinic, and mobile unit in the region. "I was literally traveling from hospital to hospital, visiting clinics, and riding with the mobile unit to make an evaluation."
Her journey took her to various locations, from Bloemfontein to Koffiefontein and eventually back to Graaff-Reinet. De
Vos only joined her family later because she could not get a transfer. At that time, her husband got a teaching position at Brandwag in Uitenhage and was later appointed permanently. Following this, De Vos resigned from the department and was reunited with her family. She then began working at Graaff-Reinet Hospice, which she fondly recalls as "the best times of my career." Later, she pursued a position through the health department and served as supervisor of the Blue Crane Municipality clinics for six months.
In 2004, De Vos assumed the position of CEO at Midlands Hospital, driven by a vision to elevate its standards and serve the community effectively. Under her leadership, the hospital earned recognition for excellence, becoming a model for others to emulate. "My vision for the hospital was from the outset to make this the best hospital in the province. I can organise well and immediately started to hire doctors, among other things, because at that time we still used district doctors."
De Vos considers herself a very positive person and always sees the glass as half full rather than half empty. She attributes her retention as Chief Executive Officer at Midlands Hospital for 20 years to the exceptionally positive staff she worked with. "I surround myself with positive thinking, and my staff made it a point every day. I am very proud of the staff at Midlands." She also shares her passion for gardening, evident in the abundance of trees surrounding the hospital, which she views as part of her legacy.
As she embarks on retirement, De Vos looks forward to spending time with her family, including her husband, two daughters, and four grandchildren. She also plans to pursue her interests, such as volunteering as an honorary ranger for national parks and starting a nursery called Hug a Tree which will open its doors in August. The process to appoint an acting CEO for Midlands Hospital is underway and more information will be published as it becomes available.
“I surround myself with positive thinking, and my staff made it a point every day. I am very proud of the staff at Midlands.”