Conversations about organ and tissue donation echoed out against Lake Burley Griffin on Wednesday 13 February as close to 5,000 Canberrans took part in Gift of Life’s annual DonateLife Walk.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) and the national DonateLife program.
The 2018 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report released on the day shows a major increase in organ and tissue donation since its inception. Since 2009, over 10,000 lives have been saved through organ transplantation. In 2018, a record 1,544 Australians received transplants, a 10% increase since 2017.
To register to become an organ and tissue donor, visit donatelife.gov.au/decide
Clearing the shelters
The RSPCA is again attempting to ‘clear’ their shelters, offering $29 adoptions this weekend (Friday 22 and Saturday 23 February).
Of the 218 animals in the RSPCA’s care, 63 will be available for adoption, including cats, kittens and dogs.
“In addition to the large number of animals in care, we also have a fairly long surrender ‘waiting list’,” says RSPCA ACT CEO Michelle Robertson.
“We believe that by actively trying to ‘clear the shelter’, we would be finding forever homes more quickly – not only for the ones currently in our care, but the ones we have not yet been able to take because we have not had the space available.
“We also have some dogs that have been in care for a long time. We hope that through this promotion, the right owner might come along and provide a loving forever home for these cuties that have been here for so long.”
All RSPCA shelters around the country will be participating in the initiative, with usual adoption procedures to apply. Last year, ‘clear the shelters’ saw the RSPCA find a home for every one of the animals available in the ACT.
Ricky Stuart eyes Queanbeyan facility
The Ricky Stuart Foundation will receive $35,000 in funding from the NSW Government to undertake a feasibility study to build a specialised accommodation facility in Queanbeyan.
The Ricky Stuart Foundation was born from Ricky’s experience when his daughter Emma was diagnosed with autism at age 11.
The Foundation was created to raise autism awareness and to provide support to families and individuals living with autism and other disabilities in the ACT region. It has successfully delivered two respite centres in Canberra over the past eight years.
Ricky Stuart Foundation chairman, Ricky Stuart, said they are excited to have the support of the NSW Government to fund a “feasibility study into a better practice model of housing for people with autism and other disabilities”.
“With this wonderful assistance, our Foundation will be much better placed to move forward with our third state-of-the-art facility recognising that specialised housing is an imperative requirement in the disability sector.”
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