09/08/2023
In March and April of last year, Tomago Aluminium Technical Advisor, Trevor Beverley, faced back pain and fatigue, leading him to seek medical attention. A blood test revealed a diagnosis that would change his life forever: acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APML), a rare and aggressive blood disease.
APML is a challenging condition, with only around 100 cases diagnosed annually in Australia. Despite its severity, Trevor learned that research had paved the way for improved treatment options, offering hope where there was once little. He found himself in a fortunate position, where past scientific discoveries had transformed APML from having one of the worst survival rates to one of the best.
Determined to fight, Trevor placed his trust in the capable hands of the dedicated doctors and nurses at Calvary Mater Newcastle Haematology Department. For eight months, he persevered through a rigorous treatment plan, gradually regaining his strength and resilience, thanks to the remarkable progress in the field of oncology.
Inspired by the care he received, and hearing how they had their own research team, Trevor nominated Calvary Mater Newcastle Haematology Department to be one of the beneficiaries in Tomago Aluminium’s Workplace Giving Program. His hope was to support further research and enhance the lives of patients battling blood diseases.
Trevor’s journey is one of resilience, recovery, and the power of community support. As one of the fortunate five chosen charity recipients, Tomago Aluminium’s Workplace Giving Program raised an impressive $130,000 this year, with $14,000 of that sum handed over to Trevor’s doctor, Dr Sam Yuen, Director of Haematology, and Lisa Linc, Senior Research Officer.
Expressing their gratitude, Lisa stated, “We are extremely thankful for this donation, which will further our research efforts and benefit local patients. We feel very lucky to have Trevor nominate us, and we sincerely thank all the generous employees of Tomago Aluminium for their kindness and support.”
Trevor said, “I was so happy that my nomination was chosen! The Calvary Mater played a key role in developing a program to cure my disease in Australia, so I hope that they can continue to make advancements in identifying new treatments and therapies for many other blood diseases with the funds that Tomago Aluminium has provided to them. Thank you to all the Tomago employees that currently donate; your kindness is making a difference.”
Thanks to all the Tomago Aluminium Workplace Giving members and to Trevor for sharing his story.
