Tour de Transplant to roll through soon

AUSTRALIAN cycling legend Phil Anderson Road and the Bellarine Peninsula next month in an attempt to raise $150,000 for essential recovery accommodation for heart and lung transplant families.

The 2016 Tour de Transplant cycling team of 35 riders – including four transplant recipients – will Melbourne on March 6.

The ride is being organised by the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust of Victoria (HLTTV) and follows the success of the inaugural event in 2014.

A Commonwealth Games gold medallist and coveted yellow jersey, Phil Anderson, personally designed the 600-kilometre route.

“Each kilometre of the 2016 Tour de Transplant route represents one family that has needed help with accommodation after receiving a transplant at The Alfred Hospital since 1989,” he said.

Through fundraising efforts, HLTTV’s Second Chance Accommodation Program provides $60,000 every year (around $2,500 per family) to country and interstate transplant families to give them much needed accommodation at the nearby Second Chance Task Force chair Jon Rolfe received a double lung transplant in 2009 at The than 70 per cent of their normal function.

“A transplant recipient cannot use public transport after their surgery, so they must be within walking distance of The Alfred for three months,” he said.

“And for many families, unless they already burden, especially when they’re already going through such a traumatic experience.”

Mr Rolfe said the HLTTV was passionate about promoting the opportunity to give others a second chance at life through encouraging organ and tissue donation.

“At any time there are about 1,600 people across Australia desperately waiting for a transplant and one donor has the power to save the lives of up to ten people and improve the lives of many more.”

To donate money to the Tour de Transplant, head to tourdetransplant.org.au.

To sign up to the organ donor register, head to donatelife.gov.au/decide.