Free Translation of Article Published in “24 Heures” of Saturday 8 th November, 2003

Promote Organs Donation

On Thursday evening, the Foundation “Pass The Baton”, athletes and artists got mobilised for the cause.

Laurent Dufaux and Sophie Lamon rallied to support the Foundation.

It all started in January, 2002 when Denis Lilla, a young man of 19 living in Montreux, deceases from the followings of a traffic accident. As he was alive, the defunct had committed in favour of organs donation. His will gets respected. And his tragic death gives a new life blow to seven patients waiting for an eventual donor. Then, Mrs Pascale Lilla, Denis' mother, takes the baton over through personal undertaking: the Foundation “Pass The Baton” is born.

On Thursday evening, in order to enlarge the debate on a subject –which has remained a taboo for too long- a press conference followed by a supporting dinner took place in a hotel of the city. All this around a selection of high level athletes: racing cyclist Laurent Dufaux, swimming champion Dano Halsall, olympic fencing vice-champion Sophie Lamon, wrestling champion Gregory Martinetti, Yves Detrey of Alinghi Team, and Gerd Zenhäusern, LHC hockey player. Artists and celebrities were also present : comedian Line Renaud, Russian sculptor Gregory Pototsky and Miss “Suisse romande” Alessandra Cuomo.

Based on the fact that European countries which have the largest number of donors are precisely those in which there is the largest amount of information on the subject, the Foundation “Pass The Baton” is targeting –through a growing public awareness policy- the setting up of an electronic database. In other words, the creation of a computerised index of potential donors which will be accessible to all structures concerned with organs donation.

“In Switzerland, if 80% of the population declare ready to donate their organs, only 10% have a donor card”, Foundation President Charles Favre deplores. Numbers available for 2002 are alarming: 75 donors for 1137 patients recorded in Switzerland.

“Our life may tilt at any moment. Organs donation must therefore be of concern to all of us” racing cyclist Laurent Dufaux declares.

Thus, at the “donating and receiving encounter”, hope will be sowed and life prolonged.

Abdoulaye Penda Ndiaye