For 92-year-old Margot Davies, the decision to leave a gift to the Leukaemia Foundation was a deeply personal one. It was shaped by love, loss, and a belief that no one facing blood cancer should ever feel alone.
Margot’s experience with cancer stretches back decades – beginning with her late husband Norman being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1979.
But it was Norman’s blood cancer journey that truly cemented her commitment to helping others in similar positions.
“My late husband, Dr. Norman Robert Davies was born in Manchester, England and decided to move to Australia in 1947 following World War II,” Margot recalls.
In 1979, 30 years before Norman was diagnosed with blood cancer, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer. “His life expectancy was [only] 5 years,” Margot recalls.
As she explains, it was a very different time when it came to accessing support and medical care following a life-altering diagnosis.
[At the time], very little, if any, support organisations existed – unlike today,” Margot says. “When a catastrophic diagnosis occurred, family and friends were the only ones to turn to for support.
“Later, there was a great development in this category, and volunteer organisations supervised by medically trained staff sprung up everywhere. Now, someone suffering from any complaint – mental or physical – can receive assistance.”
After responding well to treatment and achieving remission, Norman retired early and together they chose to embrace life fully – with a renewed perspective.
The two travelled constantly, spent time with friends, and discovered new passions. Margot took up pottery, while Norman used his chemistry expertise to make glazes and fire their kiln at their holiday home on the Mid North Coast.
“We sold everything we produced,” Margot says with pride, reflecting on what was such a happy time for the couple.
In 1985, Margot and Norman decided it was time for a change and settled on the Gold Coast in Queensland – excited to embark on a new chapter of their lives together.
“We created a life full of activities and a new group of friends. Norman’s health was stable, and we were enjoying every precious day,” Margot recalls.
They enjoyed a largely peaceful and fruitful 24 years together on the Gold Coast, before cancer reared its ugly head again in 2009.
“Norman was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer, [myelodysplastic neoplasm] MDS, which bore no relation to the early condition.”
Myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) are a group of blood cancers which all affect the production of normal blood cells in the bone marrow. MDS occurs as a result of a mutation (or change) in one or more of the genes that control blood cell development. This change or changes results in the abnormal growth of blood stem cells.
Norman immediately underwent treatment, however subsequent tests showed no improvement in his condition.
His medical team then recommended a blood and platelet transfusion, but it was at this point that Norman decided to take matters into his own hands and discontinue treatment.
“He couldn’t see the point of prolonging treatment, and he wanted to go on his own terms,” Margot says. “He had a talk with his oncologist who respected his decision.”
What followed was an emotional goodbye in March 2010 – a year after his diagnosis.
“I finally nursed him at home with the help of a team of in-home Nurses, and he died one month prior to his 88th birthday.
“He passed peacefully by himself. I think he was waiting for me to leave the room, so I didn’t see him go.”
After Norman’s passing, Margot found herself reflecting deeply on the life they had shared and thought about what it would mean to leave a gift to help others in need.
“Following his passing and while revising my own Will, I decided to leave a gift to the Leukaemia Foundation, so that help was always available to the many young and old people who suffer, and that no one ever experiences being alone when tragedy strikes.”
For Margot, leaving a gift in her Will is about ensuring blood cancer patients and their families receive the post-treatment support and care she and Norman never had following his bowel surgery.
“After his bowel surgery, we felt like we were just cast out,” Margot recalls.
There was no help available to us after his surgery, and we weren’t really sure how to get back to normal.
Leave a legacy of care and support by including a gift in your Will to the Leukaemia Foundation
Like Margot, you can help ensure Australians facing blood cancer are supported now and in the future. A gift in your Will can create a lasting legacy of hope, care and progress for people who need it most.
By choosing to leave a gift, you’ll also become part of our ‘Big Hearts Society’ – a vibrant community of compassionate people who’ve decided to love beyond their lifetime.
Members enjoy exclusive access to various benefits and events, with opportunities to connect and network with other like-minded individuals who share your values.
Leave a Gift in Will to the Leukaemia Foundation today and let your generosity become a lasting act of love.
