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November 27, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
WA Government backs the Games that saves lives
There are 132 West Australians today praying for a miracle. Thats the number of patients waiting urgently for an organ transplant. And next year may represent their best chance yet.
The 11th Australian Transplant Games will be held for the first time in Perth next October (2008) and will be a powerful tool to get the message out that Australia needs more organ and tissue donors. The message is so powerful that donation rates have increased by as much as 50 per cent in the state in which the Games are held in the six months around the event.
Chris Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Transplant Australia was today in Perth to announce the support of the West Australian Government through Lotterywest and EventsCorp to stage the Games in Perth from October 4-11, 2008.
The Games are also supported by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing while the City of Perth and the City of Belmont have also signed on as partners. The City of Belmont will host the Games by assisting with accommodation and games facilities. The City of Perth is helping Transplant Australia stage the Opening Ceremony and related festivities and a street parade.
The Games consist of 14 different sporting activities including swimming, athletics, tennis, lawn bowls, cycling, golf and badminton and are open to transplant recipients, people on dialysis and others waiting for a transplant. More than 1,200 participants from across Australia and up to 12 countries are expected to attend the Games.
Mr Thomas said there were currently 1,887 people waiting urgently for a transplant in Australia.
The tragedy is that more than one person dies a week waiting for a transplant. And the waiting list continues to grow, he said.
This has prompted governments and organisations like Transplant Australia to encourage more Australians to register as organ donors. Currently across Australia there are only 200 organ donors a year well below internationally-accepted standards.
Of all the previous initiatives, one constantly stands out as achieving success the Australian Transplant Games. A celebration of a second chance in life, the Games highlight the need for donors through a positive and inspiring message that recipients are able to go on and achieve what they thought was the impossible.
The Games have been held every second year for 20 years across Australia and over the past 10 years have lifted actual donation rates across the country by an average of 13 per cent thats 30 extra donors able to save the lives of 110 Australians through their generous donation of their organs.
Transplant Australia acknowledges the support of EventsCorp which is providing $50,000 towards the staging of the Games in Perth and Lotterywest for the $150,000 grant which will enable significant community participation in this important event.
About Organ and Tissue Donation
Australia has one of the highest success rates in organ and tissue transplantation yet one of the lowest organ and tissue donation rates in the world. There were 202 organ donors in Australia in 2006.
Australias organ and tissue donation rate is approximately 10 donors per million of population most OECD countries have at least a 50% higher rate, some 100-200% higher.
There are currently 1,887 people (children and adults) on the official organ and tissue transplant waiting list in Australia waiting for a heart, kidney, lung, liver, pancreas or corneal transplant (See www.anzdata.org.au)
Of those waiting for a heart, lung or liver transplant, 20% will die before they receive one.
There are currently 8,000 people (children and adults) undergoing dialysis treatment in Australia. This number increases by 6% each year. Of those on the official waiting list for a kidney the average wait is 4 years. It is considered futile to put the remaining 6,500 people on dialysis on the transplant waiting list as their chances of receiving a transplant would be very poor. There simply are not enough organ donors.
As many as 10 people can benefit from the organ and tissue donations of one person.
About Transplant Australia
Transplant Australia is an organisation representing transplant recipients, people currently undergoing dialysis treatment, those awaiting transplantation, donor families (including living donors) and medical professionals involved in organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
With over 6,000 members, ranging in ages from 6 months to 76 years of age, Transplant Australia is the largest support organisation of its kind in the world.
Every two years it conducts the Australian Transplant Games and has won the right to host the World Transplant Games on the Gold Coast in 2009.
More information
Chris Thomas
CEO, Transplant Australia (02) 9922-5400 or (0425) 353-893
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