Vic Masters proudly supporting DonateLife week
Vic Masters Rugby is proud to support DonateLife week and help encourage more people to register to be an organ and tissue donor.
Vic Masters Rugby became aware of "Donate Life" three years ago when Southern Districts Rugby Club Life Member Terry Saxon’s Granddaughter Layla became very ill and in need of an organ transplant
Layla’s Journey
Aleisha and Andrew’s beautiful little girl at 7 weeks old was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called Biliary Atresia. In a quick summary, BA is where the bile ducts from her liver are blocked but in Layla's case, she was born without bile ducts & a gall bladder. At 8 weeks old she had major surgery to connect her bowel to her liver. This operation had an 80% chance of success but unfortunately a few weeks after, they got the heartbreaking news that Layla's surgery had failed and she will need a liver transplant.
Over the following few weeks, Layla's health had deteriorated and they were told that her transplant would need to happen within 6 months. Layla spent 3 months confined to The Royal Childrens Hospital due to her delicate condition after the initial surgery failed.
On the 7th November 2016, Aleisha and Andrew after the long stay in hospital supporting Layla, they received they news that there was a high possibility that a liver was available for transplant.
After only an hour of finding out it was defiantly going ahead, they said goodbye to their baby girl as the surgeons took her away.
13 hours had passed with updates from the nurses every hour, it was all finished. During the surgery, Layla lost a lot of blood which meant they had to give her large amounts of fluids & replacement blood, which caused her to swell. Due to the swelling, they were unable to close her wound up. Two days after the transplant she went back into theatre to be closed up.
Post transplant Layla spent over a month in hospital recovering from the life saving surgery. Layla had a few setbacks but overall she did absolutely amazing! Once again she showed everyone how much she is a fighter... they both could not be any more prouder.
Layla's life has been saved by someone they had never met. they saved her life through their own generosity. So today and for the rest of their lives’, they will be thanking all tissue & organs donors but mostly thanking the donor that has given their baby girl another chance at life.
Vic Masters is proud of our partnership with DonateLife. On Saturday 10th Vic Masters Rugby will be hosting the Rugby is Life Round at the Power House Junior Rugby Club, Newport. Vic Masters Rugby will joining the Rugby v Leukaemia Challenge and will be hosting Red Cross Blood Service and Donate Life in support of the DonateLife Week.
In October, Vic Masters Rugby will be sending an over 35’s and over 45’s Rugby teams to compete in the Australian Masters Game. Vic Masters will be proudly sponsored by DonateLife and will have the DonateLife branding on our playing jersey to help DonateLife raise awareness and encourage more people to join the register.
So, if you haven’t already, then please sign up to be an organ donor. Please have the conversation with your loved one. There are so many people waiting for their call for a second chance at life.
