Worlds former shortest woman, Madge Bester, passes away
We fondly remember, friend of Jacaranda Fm and Rian van Heerden, Madge Bester.
Madge Bester once held the title of the shortest woman on earth at 65 cm and lived right here in South Africa. Bester has osteogenesis imperfecta, which is characterized by brittle bones, and uses a wheelchair.
As a child, Madge wished that she could walk and do things for herself. Her disability did not deter her from having dreams like any other little girl, no matter how impossible they looked from all angles.
Madge has travelled all over the world and is known internationally as a champion for people who live with disabilities. Her most famous words are ‘forget your disabilities and use your abilities’. Madge still has this to say about people who have children that are living with disabilities: “Parents should not hide children who have disabilities away, they must go to school.”
She spoke to Get It: Bloem saying, “Growing up I wanted to be a nurse. I don’t know why it was something from within. I went to a nursing school in Johannesburg and they told me I was too short and I wouldn’t be able to reach patients. I really wanted to be a nurse, but I couldn’t,”
As a friend of the station our thought and prayers are with her family during this hard time. Listen to Rian's moving tribute below.