PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd – South Sudan

"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.

Dr. Diing Chol Dau Diing: A Selfless Young Scientist Life Tragically Cut Short by Bullet

Dr. Diing Chol Daau Diing, a son of Dr. Chol Daau Diing, graduated with a PhD in Neuroscience at the age of 26 from Oxford University, UK. People must know that he was a gifted Clinician, “An Angel with Healing Hands (Ding-Dit de Wol).”

By Reech Malual, Juba, South Sudan

Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding: A Selfless Young Scientist Life Tragically Cut Short by Death
Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding: A Selfless Young Scientist Life Tragically Cut Short by Death

November 6, 2015 (SSB)  —  Many people in South Sudan did not know that the country got a Scientist but; folks get it right as I expose this information. Neuroscientist, DR. DING COL DAU DING (MBChB; DPhil (PhD); BSc (Hons)) was born on the 21st November 1975 in Exeter, Devon in the United Kingdom.

He attended Cuiken Primary School in Edinburgh, Scotland. After this the family moved to Aysham in Norfolk, East Anglia, where Ding attended Aylsham Middle School and Aylsham High School. During Ding’s earlier years he was an avid footballer and played for his school football teams as well as being selected to play for North Norfolk County Boys Football Team, Norwich City Youth Development Team and England School Boys Football Team.

Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding with Dr. John Garang in the UK
Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding with Dr. John Garang in the UK

Between the ages of 11-13, Ding was afflicted with a viral myositis (muscle disease), which temporarily stopped his junior football development. This was the turning point whereby Ding decided to focus his attentions away from sports and more towards academia, in which he excelled. He then completed his Secondary School education at Paston College, East Anglia, where he received his A-Levels.

In 1998 Ding attended The University of Bristol where he was awarded with a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Pharmacology in 2001. After completing his BSc in Pharmacology, Ding went on to join St Peter’s College, Oxford University, England, where he was awarded a DPhil (PhD) in Neuroscience in 2004.

Ding was a member of the Academy of Neuroscientists; there are perhaps just a handful of Neuroscientists in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ding then worked for a short period with CMC pharmaceutical company in Macclesfield near Manchester in England. However, his zealousness for academia made him decide to pursue studies further and subsequently he rejoined The University of Bristol to study Medicine where he was awarded a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB). Ding practiced medicine in a number of hospitals in the United Kingdom, including St Mary’s Hospital in London. Ding was a Physician as well as a budding Neurosurgeon.

Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding: A Selfless Young Scientist Life Tragically Cut Short by Death
Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding: A Selfless Young Scientist Life Tragically Cut Short by Death

Ding’s first visit to Sudan was in 2005 to attend the inauguration of our Late Great Hero, Dr. John Garang De Mabior. During this visit to Khartoum, which was the last time he met with The Late Dr. John, Ding was again deeply inspired and his passion and love for his country were reaffirmed such that when he was offered a medical position in the UK upon the completion of his academic studies, he turned it down and instead decided to return nd work in South Sudan.

In 2008, Ding returned to South Sudan and worked for 12 months in Juba as part of his general medical practice and research. He also served his nation by treating victims of the 2010 Weer Nyol and Jalle kidnappings and cattle raids, as well as treating approximately 130 orphaned children who fled from the violence in Malakal during the 2013-2015 civil war through the Airport Road Diagnostic Centre (ARDC) Charitable Outreach Program.

Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding: A Selfless Young Scientist Life Tragically Cut Short by Death
Dr. Ding Col Dau Ding: A Selfless Young Scientist Life Tragically Cut Short by Death

From 2013, Ding joined his Brother, Dr. Dau Col Dau Ding, at ARDC where he treated hundreds of patients, offering the highest standards of life-saving medical treatment to the population of South Sudan. Unfortunately Neuroscientist, Dr. Ding Chol Dau met his Tragic Death on October 28th 2015, so now South Sudan doesn’t have a scientist.

May His Soul Rest In Eternal Peace

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