By Craig Hicks
Every now and then, it’s important to consider all the things we do in a day. What we do, why we do it, and what the consequences are of us doing so. Most things, it’s fair to say, are for the direct benefit of ourselves, our families and loved ones, and the organisations or businesses that we are a part of.
On most days, we are also, for the most part, in relatively firm control of the outcome, and most days are predictably safe. Most days. For Lenoray White, the day she decided to visit the doctor to check on some persistent discomfort and pain, was not most days. It was the first day of a living nightmare which would involve countless hours of hospital visits, surgeries and a fight for her life.
The discomfort turned out to be a malignant tumour that had spread from her palate up to her right jaw and into her sinus cavity, eye socket and to the base of her skull. The diagnosis was Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma and time was of the absolute essence to prevent irreparable brain damage.
On 15 May 2019 it was certainly not just another day either – this was the day that Lenoray went into surgery to remove this life-threatening mass. To get rid of the tumour, the surgeons had to cut through her face to remove the top right-hand section of her jaw as well as 80% of her palate and her eye socket. An incredibly intricate procedure where many things can go wrong. As with all surgeries of this nature, she also required a blood transfusion. Fortunately, everything went well, the entire tumour was removed, her eye socket replaced with a titanium cage and her palate rebuilt. So many factors came into play, all of which saved Lenoray’s life, and a readily available supply of safe, donated blood is one of them.
Somebody, on just another day in their lives, decided to do something selfless and donate blood. As a result, somebody else who was going through the most impossibly difficult day of their entire life, was kept alive while being saved from a malignant tumour that could have ended their life.
Lenoray would like to thank all our blood donors for their selfless and life-saving actions. Never forget the incredible difference that one day, or one donation, can truly make.
