Created in Montreux, the Foundation “Pass The Baton” celebrates its first birthday

A donation for life to continue

An Internet discussions forum, the first on the subject; funds raising actions; many conferences: The Foundation Pass The Baton celebrates its first birthday. And still with the same target, the will to create an electronic database of organs donors.

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The team of about 50 volunteers working for “Pass The Baton” includes transplanted persons.

For or against organs donation… this is also the question: it is essential to talk about it. “Those who are opposed are all the more so as they do not wish to leave the responsibility of the decision to their family, which is still the rule in Switzerland with the exception of canton Geneva which recognizes any donor carrying a card” Montreux citizen Pascale Lilla founder of “Pass The Baton” summarises.

As a result of an information deficit and above all the lack of a centralised electronic database, Switzerland is not well placed in the European listing for 2002. With 10.4 donors per million inhabitants, it ranks in the last position. Far behind Spain and its 33.7 donors per million inhabitants, Austria (23.8) or Belgium and Portugal (21.7).

“As of now, there are twenty times more chances to receive an organ than to donate one. Therefore, the question is: Do I agree to receive and not to donate?” donor's mother Pascale Lilla mother wonders.

SUISSE ROMANDE ON THE MOVE

One year after the creation of the Foundation “Pass The Baton” and few days before the second supporting dinner which will group on Thursday 280 people in Lausanne, among which Line Renaud, Miss Suisse Romande 2003, Laurent Dufaux, Sophie Lamon, Fano Halsall, Gregory Mertinetti and Yves Detrey, “Suisse Romande is on the move, headed by three cantons: Jura, Valais and Geneva” Pascale Lilla states.

Before continuing with the review: “We opened a discussions forum on our Internet site and there has been a true awareness taking. And we have more and more contacts with families of donors and receivers. The most timid age frame is between 35-45. But we receive rather many calls from families and persons from 70to 85. Knowing there is no age limit for donating…”

We need to put a higher gear. For one year, the Foundation has been very active in funds raising actions – 900'000 to 1.3 million Francs – for the creation of an electronic database. “The study is completed. We submitted our dossier to the Loterie Romande and we are hoping… What is expensive? The electronic database, the very complex access and key system as well as the management which must be staffed by professionals 24 hours a day” founder of “Pass The Baton” explains.

WHICH POLITICAL WILL?

Pending this gear up, Pascale Lilla is also hoping to unite forces of other active organisations in the domain –As de Coeur, Swisstransplant – under the umbrella of a master organisation which would however allow each one to keep its specificities.

And … she still nourishes hopes to obtain political and state support: “The subject is not a support for voting bulletins but I did not think people were so little listened to in Switzerland. There is really a lack of listening to be caught up! I know the road was long for cancer and AIDS…”

F.M.H.

www.passthebaton.org