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February 15, 2008
Key members of the National Clinical Taskforce into Organ and Tissue Donation presented their final report to the new Labor Government on Thursday, February 14.
Taskforce Chairman, Professor Jeremy Chapman, presented the report to Senator Jan McLucas, the new Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Nicola Roxon.
Senator McLucas now has responsibilities for blood and organ and tissue donation in the new Government. Transplant Australia was represented at the meeting in Parliament House in Canberra by CEO, Chris Thomas who emphasised the personal and family dimensions of the 1,800 people currently waiting for an urgent transplant.
"All of the Taskforce members talked about the watershed report and the fact that the entire sector was behind the changes I thought it important instead to talk about the real people whose lives had been saved, and conversely, those people who were desperately waiting for that phone call," Chris said.
Other representatives included former TSANZ President, Phil OConnell, Trish Wills from LifeGift and several transplant physicians including Associate Professor Peter MacDonald from St Vincents Hospital in Sydney and Professor Graeme Russ from Adelaide. Senator McLucas thanked the taskforce for its comprehensive work over the past 12 months and committed the Rudd Government to significant reform in the sector.
Transplant Australia is supporting the establishment of a Foundation to raise money for the late V8 Supercar driver Ashley Cooper's partner Casey and their young children Ella and Bailey.
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Click here to donate to the Transplant Australia Trust - Ashley Cooper Foundation.
Transplant Australia has released the 2007 Annual Report.
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