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The life saver

Laura Shannon
24/11/2007

A GRATEFUL patient has finally been reunited with the surgeon who saved her life not once, but three times.

And it was all due to the Rochdale Observer.

Melissa Whaley suffers from the rare brain tumour, spinal glioma and also struggles with osteoporosis.

She was operated on three times in the mid-1990s by Carys Bannister but the 18-year-old still has the dormant tumour and is linked up to an oxygen ventilator at night.

Miss Bannister, of Rawtenstall, is now retired but was recognised throughout the world has one of the top surgeons in her field.

She first operated on Melissa at Booth Hall Hospital in November 1994 and twice more in January 1995.

Melissa was born at Birch Hill Hospital and the family lived in Rochdale until moving to Stoke-on-Trent. But at the time of the operations they stayed with Melissa’s grandmother, Margaret Whaley, in Castleton.

The second operation was a close call for Melissa, a former Wardle High School pupil, who was just six-years-old at the time.

She defied doctors’ expectations and pulled through.

Mum Sue Whaley said: “The second operation was really touch and go.

“Miss Bannister came into a quiet room to warn us it didn’t look good.

“Melissa was even read her last rites.”

“Later Miss Bannister came out to tell us Melissa was talking and none of us could believe it.

“We were all hugging and kissing Miss Bannister, who operated on Melissa a third time later that same month.

“I have no doubt if it weren’t for her work Melissa wouldn’t be here today. She saved her life.”

Mrs Whaley, who now lives in Heywood, spotted Miss Bannister’s name in the Observer after she gave a talk to Castleton Literary and Scientific Society.

Desperate to see the woman who saved her daughter’s life, she got in touch with the paper to find out when the surgeon would next be speaking.

The family all attended the Littleborough Townswomen’s Guild to hear Miss Bannister speak and afterwards enjoyed a happy reunion.

Mrs Whaley added: “It was lovely to see her again and she was as wonderful as ever.

“There are no airs and graces about Miss Bannister, what you see is what you get.

Miss Bannister, aged 70, said: “It was an absolute delight to catch up and was as much of a pleasure for me as it was for them.

“What I miss most about the job is my patients and colleagues. Two other former patients were also at the meeting so it was a great reunion.

“Thank you to the Townswomen’s Guild for having us and thank you to Melissa for the beautiful plant she bought me and the box of chocolates. It felt like Christmas had come early.”