Student Success

Bianca Valenti - Year 10 - T6

For as long as she can remember, Bianca Valenti has loved to dance - so being diagnosed with an aneurysmal bone cyst (or ABC as she calls it) on her right leg at the age of 12 was a terrible blow.

“Bianca had constant pain when growing up but we didn’t know why,’’ her mother, Tania Valenti, pictured with Bianca, explained. “It was coming and going in the ankle and knee and because Bianca danced so much, doctors thought it was muscle pain, but eventually it became quite consistent in her knee and in 2017 she was diagnosed with ABC.’’

Specialists discovered that the cyst, a bubble-like growth on the inside of her right femur, was causing repeated bone fractures and a bone tissue transplant was needed. Bianca underwent surgery to remove the cyst and received a bone graft consisting of crushed bone and tissue from an anonymous donor who had a hip replacement.

After recovering well, Bianca discovered 10 months later during a routine x-ray that another cyst had formed just above her right knee. The second cyst was removed and another donor bone graft was transplanted.

Today, Bianca, who just turned 15, is well and truly back on her feet – even becoming a walking advertisement for the important work of Pluslife, WA’s only bone and tissue bank.

Last week she was photographed at the SNC Dance Studio for an upcoming PlusLife brochure, to promote the non-for-profit organisation that has provided more than 18,000 grafts to more than 10,000 patients. Pluslife says one donor can transform the lives of many people – sometimes up to 60 recipients from the one donor.

"If it wasn't for the bone donations Bianca received, there's no way she would be up and about now,’’ Mrs Valenti said.

"It's so wonderful this technology and medical knowhow is available to make such life-changing benefits to people's lives."

Bianca, who is studying Dance as a subject in Year 10 and was the Junior Dance Team captain in 2019,  is looking forward to another fun year as part of the College Hip Hop Crew. 

                                                                                                                        Mrs L Quartermain (Community Relations)