“I feel so privileged to have been able to live life to the full,” enthuses Helen Millson, possibly Rondebosch’s most well-travelled resident.
Splitting her time between Cape Town and the UK, she says: “I get to enjoy the beauty and natural surroundings of the Mother City while still working in professional sport abroad – and I always try to add a little European travel along the way.”
Helen’s career began when, at just 17, she left the then Rhodesia for England to study physiotherapy. “I wasn’t sure physio was really my choice,” she admits, “but it led me into some of the most exciting opportunities imaginable.” Those opportunities took her into the world of elite sport: five years with Stormers Rugby, work with the SA Rugby, South African national cricket side, and with the SA surf lifesaving team, SA Women’s Hockey, Commonwealth Games, All Africa Games and more. Today, even in her 70s, she continues to treat Premier League footballers in England as well as Bayer Leverkusen and PSG. “I was offered my current post for just two years,” she laughs, “and here I am, 15 years later, loving this work and the academic journey it involves.”
Eight years ago, Helen returned to Cape Town, motivated by a sense of social responsibility. “I felt I needed to give back after the damaging legacy of apartheid,” she explains. “That’s why I do a lot of pro bono work here, while still honouring my international commitments.”
She attributes much of her determination to her late mother, a German-Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany at the age of 11. “My mother valued education above all else,” Helen recalls. “Her example taught me that challenges are there to be taken on, not avoided.”
That lesson inspired Helen to pursue a PhD when many thought she was ‘too old’. Invited by the University of Kent, she turned decades of professional writing into a doctorate on hip and groin health in sport (completed in 2022). “I wanted my research to make a difference in the field I love,” she says.
Her appetite for challenge remains strong. Just recently, she cycled 300km along the Danube River with a group of fellow seniors. Over eight days they travelled on board a luxurious Danube River cruise ship, stopping to pedal along the way. Their journey went from Passau in Germany, through Austria, Slovakia and Hungary before looping back, averaging 45km a day. This came only seven months after knee replacement surgery. “Cycling turned out to be the best therapy for my knee,” she says with a smile. ●
Helen’s advice on ageing
“I’m lucky to have chosen a career that kept me physically active. Older people should definitely keep moving. On our Danube trip, even those who weren’t cyclists rented e-bikes at some stops to explore towns instead of sitting on the ship. Staying active makes all the difference.”
Physio support – a woman among men in professional sport
Being a female physio in the world of men’s professional sport has come with its challenges, as Helen knows. In 1992, after Mandela’s release she was selected as the physio for the South African national rugby side. Danie Craven was appalled that a woman would be working in a role he considered suitable only for men. “Being denied the role didn’t stop me,” Helen comments. “In fact, I’ve worked almost exclusively with men in the professional sporting arena.”
This experience gave Helen good insight into the world of professional sports management and its many prejudices. Today, she shares those insights with corporates looking to educate their management teams.
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