Skip to content

FEATURE: Game, set and perfect match

Carla White, right, and mother Laura were given a four day trip to see the Wimbledon Championships in London, England, just a fortnight ago, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Carla White, right, and mother Laura were given a four day trip to see the Wimbledon Championships in London, England, just a fortnight ago, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Carla was the recipient of a preemptive kidney transplant just over a year ago. PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA WHITE. 

As the old adage goes, it’s the journey, not the destination, that is more important.

And one thing is certain: Carla White has been on one arduous journey.

But just a fortnight ago, sitting almost courtside at the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, the destination became that much more gratifying for the North Bay resident.

While Canadian Eugenie Bouchard’s dreams of winning this year’s Championship tournament didn’t come true, White’s dream of experiencing a match at the all- England club did, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“Watching the tournament for all those years before I got sick, I remember thinking how cool it would be to be there,” said White. “It’s just amazing that we went and I can say that I’ve been there now.”

It’s not often that a recent high school graduate gets the chance to jet set halfway around the world and ride in a private limousine to brush shoulders with celebrities, superstars and the upper-echelon of the tennis world.

But then again, White is no ordinary 17 year-old.

Just over a year ago, White was the recipient of a preemptive kidney transplant due to a progressive condition that saw her reach Stage 5 kidney disease, or End Stage Renal Disease.

Just 11 months before that, the diagnosis unraveled very quickly; a routine check up led to a kidney biopsy and ultimately a referral for specialized appointments in Ottawa. Finally, after incredible suspense and uncertainty, it was revealed that White had IgA nephropathy, or autoimmune disease of the kidneys.

Typically, donor testing takes 8-12 months, but some people wait for years to find the right donor; it’s just not a given. Miraculously, after a rigorous evaluation process, a perfect match was discovered within a month, one of the fastest matches that the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario has ever found according to White. 

The compatible donor: her mother, Laura.

She then gave her more than love; she gave her life for the second time, making the ultimate decision to donate her left kidney for her daughter.

“I know I gave her a wonderful gift because she can be well now,” said the elder White.

“For me, I would have flash backs of all of the medical stuff when we were standing on the footbridge over the River Thames,” Laura continued. “Just thinking ‘she went through all that stuff, and this is where we end up,’ how beautiful is that? It was a very emotional time for me, as a mother.

“It seemed like a victory dance almost, to be in London, England, sharing that together.”

The mother-daughter team has spent a great deal of time with each other throughout their trying adventure, creating an incredibly tenacious bond that radiates when the two are together even now.

“Our whole bond lately has revolved around hospitals, health care, health in general and just taking care of each other, so being taken care of in London, England, and going somewhere to get away from all the worries, that was the biggest gift really,” Carla explained.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation also planned for the duo to experience the United Kingdom capital outside of the tennis club as well. The rest of their four-day trip consisted of an open-air bus tour around the city, a private tour of the Tower of London, and a visit to Madame Tussauds wax museum, among other things. 

White says when she submitted her multiple wishes after being approved for the Foundation, Wimbledon was an immediate first choice. Then finally, after months of speculation and hope, the family found out Carla’s dream was coming true right around the one-year anniversary of her kidney transplant.

“None of it felt real until I was on the plane; It really didn’t set in until we were there because it seemed like such a long shot that I would ever get to be there,” White explained. “During the French Open, I was glued to the TV watching because I knew as soon as that was over, Wimbledon was starting.

“I was so excited.”

Just days after returning home and coming off the high of watching her tennis heroes play right in front of her eyes, White put her own tennis skills to the test at a local tournament at the Nipissing District Tennis Club.

She says watching the most outstanding athletes in the sport added a whole new dimension to the way she thinks about the game, something she hopes to apply to her own performance on the court.

“It kind of put things into perspective, it was absolutely amazing to watch,” White said of the spectacle.

“It definitely just made me want to play more tennis and get back out on the court as soon as possible, so basically the only reason I wanted to come home was so I could play tennis again; I didn’t want to leave.”

While both White’s said the on-court play was incredible, it was the absolute silence prior to each and every service that impressed them the most. As they explain, the utmost appreciation and consideration for the sport was on display by the Wimbledon crowd.

“It was a very amazing example of human discipline, respect and focus by the masses,” Laura said. “You could literally hear a pin drop each and every time.”

In the White’s house, a plethora of tennis memorabilia, photos and signed tickets from other tournaments compliment the family photos. Now they can add perhaps the most memorable of them all: their Wimbledon experience.

As far as the future is concerned, White plans on following her deep-rooted passion for the sport. Come fall, she’s exploring the option of moving to Sudbury in order to stay on the tennis court year-round thanks to the city’s indoor ‘Igloo’ facility.

For the summer, White is training as a member of a competitive team with local tennis pro Fransua Rachmann at the Nipissing District Tennis Club, where she’s been a member for four years now. Eventually, she says she wants to earn her coaching certification and share the game with enthusiastic athletes. 

But whatever else lies on the road ahead for White, she will always have the extraordinary memory of her granted wish to reflect on.

“It’s always going to be there so I can always strive for other dreams I want to fulfill,” White explained. “Those memories are going to last forever and it’s always going to be something I look back on.”


Liam Berti

About the Author: Liam Berti

Liam Berti is a University of Ottawa journalism graduate who has since worked for BayToday as the City Council and North Bay Battalion reporter.
Read more

Reader Feedback