SASIM is run by an EXCO according to the tenets of the Constitution.
SASIM is a not for profit company (NPC) registration number 2019/556683/08.
The directors are:
- Rene Usdin
- Elma Pollard
- David Nye
Executive Committee
Dr Julienne Fenwick MBChB
Dr Julienne Fenwick, MBChB (Stell) is a trained and registered medical doctor, who employs a Functional Medicine approach in her practice, Best of Both Wellness, Hermanus, South Africa. She uses the latest diagnostic tests and individualized treatment protocols to treat and prevent chronic disease.
Dr Yasmin Goga MBChB
Yasmin Goga is a paediatric clinical haematologist. She obtained her MBBCH from the University of Witwatersrand, and then completed her FCPaeds (CMSA). She also holds a Certificate in Clinical Haematology – Paeds (CMSA), Masters in Bioethics and Health Law (Wits), Post -Graduate Diploma in Paediatric Palliative Medicine (UCT) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health (UP).
She has worked in the paediatric haematology oncology unit at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, and the Haemophilia Comprehensive Care Centre at King Edward Hospital, Durban, South Africa from 2003-2022, and is now based at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town. Her interests include benign and malignant haematology.
She also maintains a strong interest in children’s rights and patient advocacy. She is also involved in teaching paediatrics at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Dr Janine Kirby MBChB
Janine is an integrative medical practitioner and mindfulness teacher based in East London. Janine is a board member of St Bernard’s Hospice in East London and oversees the nursing sisters.
After graduating as a medical doctor, she obtained a Diploma in Child Health, a Diploma in Obstetrics and a Masters in Family Medicine. She worked in the public sector for many years before starting her own integrative medical practice and acquiring professional qualifications in Homeopathy.
Janine has been teaching the mindfulness based stress reduction course in East London since 2010. She also runs an 8 week mindfulness informed online course for stress and burnout in health care practitioners. Janine is currently the chairperson of the Institute of Mindfulness of SA (IMISA).
Dr Robin Kohler DHom
Robin is a formally trained homeopath, specialised in naturopathic and functional medicine, with 15 years of experience in clinical practice in South Africa. He holds the most comprehensive natural medicine degree available in South Africa: a Master’s in Technology in Homeopathy.
He has specialised in Functional Medicine over many years of independent training with the Institute for Functional Medicine, and has expertise in several additional modalities, including nutrigenomics, organic acid analysis, iridology and live blood analysis.
He is passionate about science-based natural medicine and constantly seeks to update and improve his knowledge and skill set. His approach has proved very successful for his patients and allowed him to build a loyal following, with a client base in excess of 6 000 patients.
Dr David Nye MBChB
David was the chairperson of the S.A. Complementary Medical Association [SACMA] from 1997 until its closure in 2004. He co-chaired the S.A. Homeopathic Medical Association for several years and is the past chairperson of the SA Society of Integrative Medicine [SASIM] from 2017 to 2021.
He is currently registered as both a medical doctor and a homeopath, and practises Integrative Medicine in Pinelands, Cape Town. He employs a variety of treatment modalities, including homeopathy, ozone, intravenous therapies, chelation and Rife RPX frequency treatments.
Dr Renee Usdin MBChB
Dr Usdin practices integrative medicine, combining the best of medical science with the best of complementary therapies. She looks holistically at her client’s illness and helps them to see what their body is trying to tell them about what needs shifting in their life or psyche. Dr Usdin uses nutrition, lifestyle modification, herbs and homeopathy routinely and other modalities as necessary.
At medical school, Renee had already realized that illness was treated in a reductionist manner as opposed to integrative which brings all the parts together. The person was broken up into the different organs and body parts that were treated individually and patients were sent to various specialists, all of whom never looked at the whole person or communicated with each other.
She began searching for a better, kinder, and more holistic way of treating the person using food, herbal remedies and nutritional supplements. After medical school she travelled extensively in Asia and learnt about Chinese medicine and acupuncture and started to see the body not just as cells and organs but also as an energetic system inseparable from mind, emotion and spirit. She also learnt about Ayurveda, aromatherapy and homeopathy and treating the person as an integrated whole being.
Elma Pollard, Administrator
Elma is an integrative life coach, environmentalist, community builder and hands-on driver of this society.