ENTERTAINMENT NEWS - At 55, Cape Town health coach Tracey Elliott is the oldest finalist in the Mrs South Africa 2026 competition, having secured a place in the Top 30 after a year marked by major health challenges.
Elliott, who survived an eight-hour operation in February 2025, says her journey to the competition is proof that it is never too late to pursue a dream.
When an advert for Mrs South Africa appeared on her phone, she showed it to her husband, Mark, who encouraged her to enter.
Although initially hesitant, she decided to investigate further and was drawn to the competition’s celebration of women from different backgrounds, cultures, sizes and abilities.
“I was in ICU last year, fighting for my life, and now I am standing on this platform thriving and shining,” she says. “Somebody had to be the oldest, and I’m thrilled it’s me because it just proves that it is never too late to chase your dreams.”
A life shaped by second chances
Elliott’s story has been marked by serious accidents and health challenges. In August 2008, she was travelling to Pretoria Zoo with Mark and their two young sons when a taxi allegedly ran a red light and collided with their car.
She suffered 15 broken bones, including injuries to her pelvis and sacrum, and spent almost a year in a wheelchair learning to walk again. Years later, a specialist told her she had come within millimetres of becoming paraplegic.
In 2021, a tumour on her parathyroid gland led to kidney stones, pancreatitis and a blood clot in her spleen. She spent seven months in and out of hospital and lost 20kg.
In February 2025, she underwent an eight-hour operation to remove her pancreas and spleen. She now manages Type 1 diabetes and says she is doing well and has happily returned to cooking for her family.
Elliott credits her Christian faith and Mark’s support and care with helping her through an 18-year journey of recovery. She also remembers the kindness of family, friends and others who supported them during difficult times, describing these moments as “God’s fingerprints”.
She hopes to use her experience to encourage others facing adversity.
“You are not your diagnosis or what has happened to you; it doesn’t need to define you. God has written a beautiful story for your life,” she says.
From a phone advert to the Top 30
Elliott secured her place among the finalists during the semi-finals week at Hotel Sky in Sandton in July.
The programme included leadership discussions, mentorship, interviews and an on-stage showcase, followed by workshops covering media relations, business and social responsibility. Finalists also took part in professional photography and video shoots.
Elliott says the experience has helped her build confidence and strengthen her public speaking, presentation and networking skills.
Mrs South Africa CEO Joani Jacobs says the judging process considers more than stage presence, focusing on personal development, leadership and community involvement.
“What truly matters is the work they do in their communities, the lives they transform, and the way they lead,” Jacobs says.
Turning personal experience into purpose
Elliott has run Abundant Life Health and Wellness since 2019 and is studying trauma counselling through Pathway to Purpose.
Her long-term vision is to combine trauma counselling with skills development to help young survivors of gender-based violence build sustainable livelihoods.
She also supports Beth Rapha, a safe house for survivors of gender-based violence and a home for abused and abandoned children, as well as Ladles of Love, which provides daily meals to children.
From 2018 to 2020, she volunteered at Strathyre Girls Home in Johannesburg. More recently, she hosted a High Tea and Creative Workshop to raise funds for the 4Change Foundation, which equips young people with life skills.
Looking ahead
Elliott is currently writing her first book and hopes to use her growing confidence and public speaking experience to become a keynote speaker.
“I want to use my story to show women that abundance can follow brokenness and hardship,” she says.
With the Mrs South Africa 2026 finals scheduled for November, Elliott is preparing to share her story on a bigger platform and to encourage other women to believe that new beginnings remain possible, even after life’s most difficult chapters.
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