Lauren Thompson lives by a simple life philosophy – don’t sweat the small stuff and be truly thankful for each day.
While it’s a beautiful way to look at life, it’s a perspective that was shaped after receiving a life changing medical diagnosis at the age of just 21.
More than a decade later, Lauren is getting ready to embark on her most exciting adventure yet – becoming a parent.
As she gets ready to head off on parental leave, we’re honoured to be able to share her journey with you and thank Lauren for being so incredibly open with her story.
Q: What does your role at BCI involve and when did you start?
A: I commenced at BCI in January 2023 as the People and Culture Advisor, and my role involves providing ongoing support on a range of P&C matters and contributing to a variety of HR projects.
Q: What do you like about your job at BCI?
A: I love the variety of the role and how every day is different. As we are a smaller team, I am gaining exposure to the key functions of HR and the entire employee lifecycle.
Q: What is a time in your life when you’ve been proud of yourself?
A: I am most proud of competing in the World Transplant Games in April 2023 in Perth, where I represented Australia and competed in five different sporting events alongside others who were celebrating receiving the gift of life: organ and tissue donation. It was an incredible experience and one that I will always cherish.
Q: How did you end up as the recipient of a tissue transplant?
A: I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer at the age of 21. I underwent two bone marrow transplants, seven rounds of chemotherapy and hundreds of blood transfusions. It was the most challenging thing I have ever faced; I was rushed to hospital multiple times for infections after treatment, I lost my hair twice, I had an allergic reaction to medication, my childhood asthma came back causing asthma attacks, I was constantly nauseous, and when I could eat I had to stick to a strict listeria diet. I lost count of the amount of bone marrow biopsies, CT scans, MRIs, and medication I had to take daily. However, it did have the desired effect and after years of treatment I was put into remission and this year can celebrate that I have been in remission for 11 years.
Q: What was it like to be diagnosed at such a young age?
A: The day I was diagnosed was the day my life stopped still whilst those around me continued living. During the bone marrow transplants, I had to stay in hospital for five weeks at a time and I only allowed my family to visit as seeing my friends continue their lives was too hard of a pill to swallow. During hospital, I created a bucket list of everything that I wanted to do when I was better, including skydiving, traveling solo, Greek island hopping, and seeing a white Christmas. I can happily say that I have ticked all but one item off my list. I was also granted a Starlight wish due to my age and used that to attend Future Music on the Gold Coast and meet some of the artists attending.
Q: What was your highlight of 2023?
A: My personal highlight from 2023 would be finally getting pregnant after multiple rounds of IVF. At the moment, as I am eight months pregnant, and I am preparing for the arrival of our baby boy and the next exciting chapter in our lives. I am excited to embark on this next chapter and will be commencing Parental Leave just before the Easter break.
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“Salt of the Earth” is a fortnightly series where we get to know our dedicated team members.
To see the current opportunities at BCI Minerals, please visit our careers page: https://www.bciminerals.com.au/careers.html