Mercedes lends a hand

The organ donor surgical team of the Royal Prince Alfred Transplant Institute will soon take delivery of a seven-seater van, donated by Mercedes Benz Sydney in Alexandria, to transport the five-person team of surgeons, perfusionists and co-ordinators and state-of-the-art equipment to retrieve organs from hospitals across NSW and the ACT.

Institute Director Professor Richard Allen, said the van would help the service meet the increased demand for organ transplantation in NSW.

“The organ donation rate in Australia has increased from 9.8 donors per million population in 2007, to a rate of 14.0 in 2010,” said Allen.

“Much of the increase has come from NSW and the ACT, where the number of organ donors has increased from 54 in 2007 to an expected 100 plus in 2010.”

“We are very grateful to Mercedes-Benz Sydney for its very generous donation, which will help the service continue its vital work,” he said.

Paul Betar of Mercedes Benz said they were delighted to be able to support the RPA Transplant Institute.

“As a registered organ donor I support fully the work carried out by these remarkable people at the RPA Transplant Institute.”

To become an organ donor, visit www.medicare.gov.au and search the site for ‘Australian Organ Donor Register’.