This was a simple young and energetic man with the brightest of future in my opinion. He is credited for the Ghana Police Service's first website for which I know they are still grateful for such a platform granted them by this personality.
I met him briefly when I opted to volunteer for his foundation. It wasn't an interactive meet but he was very much of hope and belief that the step he was and had taken, was the right one even if he didn't benefit from it.
This personality is no other than the Late Mr. Danny Whyte of the Danny Whyte Ivor Burford (DWIB) Leukaemia Trust.
With respect to this admirable personality, I will let you know what Leukaemia is about briefly.
Leukaemia is a cancerous disease of the white blood cells in the body. It begins in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. Treatments include chemotherapy and in many cases bone marrow transplant to kick-start production of red blood cells.
Leukaemia affects both Black and White people and strikes at random while chronic varieties may exist for years before they are diagnosed. It is neither contagious nor hereditary but extremely fatal in most cases.
There are more than a dozen varieties of leukaemia, but the following four types are the most common:
• acute lymphocyte leukaemia (ALL)
• acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML)
• chronic lymphocyte leukaemia (CLL)
• chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML)
Okay now let's talk get to know him a little and how the foundation he created came about for which I revere and remember him this day.
Between February and early April 2004, Danny Whyte experienced a series of temperatures all of which were treated as malaria by his doctor in Accra, Ghana. It was during the forth encounter that he decided to get a second opinion from another doctor.
Full blood tests were carried out on him and he was referred to a Haematologist for further tests. After a thorough examination and some more blood tests, he was told that he had Leukaemia and was again referred to the Haematology Department at Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Danny had a bone marrow test done and about three days later he was called in to come and meet with his doctor for the results. Danny was told that the marrow test confirmed that indeed he had Leukaemia.
It was then explained to him that he had Acute Myeloid Leukaemia -AML), and the urgency in starting treatment soonest. Danny had very little time and had to make some very crucial decisions.
Numerous blood and marrow tests were done so as to determine the course of chemotherapy to administer and over how long the whole treatment would take. To Danny's surprise, he was told it would be anything up to 6 months or more.
He spent 8 months at Kings College Hospital, London as an inpatient and had four courses of Chemotherapy during this time. In early December 2004, he was discharged and remained in the UK as an outpatient for a further 2 months.
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| DANNY WHYTE AND A MEMBER OF THE DWIB BOARD |
Danny then relapse on 29th June 2005 and had to be admitted again for another 5 months.
Unfortunately, his greatest fear had come true. This means that he had to be re-admitted into hospital and undergo another course of chemotherapy and this time, Danny will need a bone marrow transplant. For a match to be found for him, Danny needed people like you to act now and get tested.
This then brought about the establishment of the Danny Whyte Ivor Burford Leukaemia Trust. A brief description of what it's all about as you read on.
DWIB Leukaemia Trust (Ghana) was formed with the aim to increase awareness of leukaemia in the West African sub-Region and create access to effective diagnostic and treatment resources. Most of all, it aims to set up the first bone marrow register in West Africa, possibly at the Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
One statement that he made that till this day still makes sense to me and I believe to everyone that reads this post was ; " I will feel fine, but would I feel the same to go about my business with little or no care for others who might be in my present position now or in future?
Should Black and mixed race people remain without help when afflicted?
I find the answers in the aims and objectives of the Danny Whyte and Ivor Burford Leukaemia (DWIB) Trust."
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| DANNY WHYTE AT THE LAUNCH OF DWIB |
Even in his struggle and fight for his health, full recovery, Danny was positive and believed in people affected by this health problem getting help. Another statement that till this day breaks my heart that he didn't make it was, " I am conscious that my first concern should be towards my own recovery; but considering the difficulty in finding matching bone marrow donors and having regard to the fact that all international bone marrow registers are overwhelmingly in favour of Caucasians, I find my focus on what happens when I have had my cure".
Unfortunately, Danny Whyte didn't have his cure, and lost the battle in May of 2007 as he went to be with his maker. The strong and energetic man left the face of the earth and was buried on July, 2007.
Danny will forever be remembered by me and the many faithfuls that through his vision to have the bone marrow register set up, and benefited from.
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| DANNY ON TGIF WITH KSM |
FOREVER REST IN BOSOM OF THE ALMIGHTY. YOU ARE REMEMBERED.
For more information on anything Leukaemia related and if you have the desire to be a Bone marrow donor, log unto his his website for full information on how to here : DWIB
Credits:
Bio insert: www.dwib.org
Photo : Google, DWIB
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