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GLEN
INNES WOMAN "LIFTED" ON ANGEL WINGS
On
Sunday 5th September 74-year-old Ella Glendon received some
much need relief and comfort when members of the RAAF in Newcastle
flew in to Glen Innes on a very special Angel Flight mission.
Not
yet fully recovered from a five-hour surgical operation for
ovarian Cancer in early 2004, Mrs. Glendon faced further surgery
at the John Hunter Hospital.
A
widow and single pensioner with no family support, this courageous
lady had been distraught trying to organise transport to Newcastle.
Her main concern has been the thought of travelling so far
by road as well as being told that it would be unadvisable
for her to even consider travelling home by road following
her operation.
Relaxed
in the knowledge that Angel Flight pilots came to her rescue
and transported her to and from Newcastle absolutely free
of charge.
"It’s
absolutely wonderful what Angel Flight are doing for me,"
Mrs. Glendon said.
"If
these pilots hadn’t volunteered to help me I believe
I would have had to cancel the surgery as I didn’t know
how to get there."
A
widow for twenty-five years and with no children or close
family relatives nearby, Ella Glendon has had to rely on friends
and her very positive attitude to see her through a very difficult
year.
"Until
I was diagnosed with cancer I had never been sick in my life,"
she said.
"Then
suddenly I started feeling off-colour and I just thought I
was putting on a lot of weight when in reality my stomach
was filling up with fluid and I ended up going to Newcastle
for specialist surgery."
"I
didn’t realize that I would be in hospital for five weeks
afterwards but I was promised a full recovery that could take
up to twelve months, so I have been really lucky," she
added with a laugh.
When
asked what her first reaction was to being diagnosed with
cancer Mrs. Glendon said she just took it all in her stride.
"I’ve
been lucky all of my life and I know we all have to die sometime
so it isn’t any good sitting in a corner and crying,"
she said.
"In
1973 my husband and I were in an horrific car accident and
when we saw photos of the crash it was hard to believe that
we got out of it alive, so I just keep thinking positive about
my life now."
A
hard working volunteer helping her local community for many
years, Mrs. Glendon is now going to be the recipient of much
deserved help.
This
story appearing The
Star.
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