Journal de Morges - 25.03.2003
Free Translation from French of article published in the Journal de Morges of 25th March, 2003

The Kiwanis of Morges pass the baton
Grant for organs donation

For the second consecutive time, the Kiwanis-Club of Morges organised an apple sale –from the production of one of its members, Jean-Marc Thury- on the occasion of the regional market Morgexpo. The 41 Kiwanis have committed themselves to this action, president Marcel Nicolas underlines. On March 12, assisted by Jean-Ricardo Comte, responsible for social actions, Marcel Nicolas handed over the proceeds from this action (5,000 CHF) to the Foundation Pass The Baton which militates in favour of organs donations. It was represented by its director-founder, Pascale Baer-Lilla, and by its president, National Counsellor Charles Favre.
“Pass The Baton is a young foundation since it was incorporated on 14th October, 2002 », Charles Favre explained. Its goal is to promote a magnetic card for people desiring (or not) to be organs donors. The data on these cards will be registered in a computer database. In consulting it, doctors in the presence of a patient in clinical death status will know whether she/he accepted or not to be organs donor, possibly which organs she/he agreed to be retrieved.
For, it is not easy for a family in a shock situation to take a decision of such importance in a few minutes.
This decision, Pascale Baer-Lilla took it: On 6th January, 2002, her son Denis, 18, died of the consequences of a traffic accident. He had declared in favour of organs donations. His generosity has enabled seven persons to live a new life.
Knowing that 80% of persons queried declare in favour of organs donations and that only 10 % have a donor’s card, one understands an enormous information task remains to be done. A task which must be carried out on the ground, Charles Favre insists. Thus, Pass The Baton intends to recruit personalities to support its action. In a first phase, renowned sportspeople have lent their participation to the edition of a calendar. For, the deficit of donors is immense. In 2001, in Switzerland, 1030 patients were on the waiting list . 424 organs retrieved from 95 donors were transplanted. Thirty-two patients recorded on the waiting list died for lack of receiving the organ which would have saved their life.
Charles Favre points out a draft law which tends to standardise practise in terms of organs donations is presently under study by the Commission of social security and public health of the National Counsel. It tends to a greater liberalisation of retrievals.
Registering all potential organs donors in a computer database, this is the objective pursued by Pass The Baton. In donating your organs, you will not be more dead after than before. And, you will have the posthumous satisfaction of having done a good action. Another good action… <B>
Légende photo: From left to right: President Kiwanis Morges, Mr. Marcel Nicolas; Mr. Charles Favre, president Foundation Pass The Baton; Mrs Pascale Baer-Lilla, founder and office director Foundation Pass The Baton; Mr. Ricardo Comte, Kiwanis Morges social actions.
Foundation Pass The Baton, P.O. Box 90, 1816 Chailly-sur-Montreux, Tel. 021 964 19 15 Fax 021/964.19.26 Gifts: Foundation Pass The Baton, Banca del Gottardo Lausanne, Account CD 648 949.02, Clearing 8613, CCP 69-6966-7.