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La Presse Riviera Chabalais - 29/11/2002
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| Two Montreux citizens to ensure promotion of organs donation The Foundation “Pass The Baton” is launched This national scale operation is aiming at creating an electronic database of potential organs donors. A first supporting action took place yesterday in Montreux in the presence of numerous personalities. On 6th January, 2002, Pascale Baer-Lilla donated the organs of her son Denis, deceased at the age of 18 following a car accident, enabling thereby seven receivers to live a new life. Since then, this Montreux lady and her son Guy have launched the challenge to set up an electronic database inventory of potential organs donors. For this purpose it was necessary to group in the shortest possible time an amount of 100,000 Francs required for the creation of a foundation called “Pass The Baton”, the principal objective of which is to ensure the promotion of organs donation in Switzerland. So far, Pascale Baer-Lilla, who left her job of marketing manager to devote her time to that cause, has grouped nearly 60,000 Francs. Yesterday, a supporting dinner was organised at the Montreux Palace in order to raise additional funds, and, above all, to lift the veil on the taboo of transplantation. Other similar actions are foreseen all over the country till the end of 2003. “We intend to put together as soon as possible one million Francs to enable us create a professional structure. In this context, we are looking for premises in the area to open our office.” “PRIORITY TO INFORMATION” Presided over by National Counsellor Charles Favre and incorporated in the Registry of Commerce on 14th October last, the foundation «Pass The Baton» in now launched. A counsel formed of local and national personalities (Moritz Suter!) is in charge of bringing the operation to its goal. Furthermore, numerous celebrities are already supporting the action of the foundation: Nelly Wenger, Patrick Timsit, Barbara Hendricks, Claude Nobs, André Dosé, Jacqueline Veuve, Michel Buhler, Derib, Indra, Chritiane Brunner, Philippe Roux, Donghua Li, among others. “Now that the debate on making available organs donation is going to take place at Parliament, the most adequate measure is to inform, to “pass the baton…”, Charles Favre commented. In Switerland, in 2001, there have been only 95 donors for 1030 patients waiting for an organ. Statistics estimate only 11% of Helvetians have a donor card whereas 80% of them would be in favour of the transplantation principle... Claude Beda Free translation from French of article published in «La Presse» of 29th November, 2002 |
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