National Zaidee’s Rainbow Shoelaces campaign to increase organ and tissue donation awareness
Bowls Australia are encouraging clubs across the country to support a national Zaidee’s Rainbow Shoelaces campaign for the month of February, aimed at generating awareness of organ and tissue donation. Bowls Australia are encouraging clubs across the country to support a national Zaidee’s Rainbow Shoelaces campaign for the month of February, aimed at generating awareness of organ and tissue donation.
The initiative, which being run in conjunction with Bowls Australia’s Official Charity Partner, Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation (ZRF), encourages bowls clubs to purchase boxes of Zaidee’s Rainbow Shoelaces, which are synonymous with organ and tissue donation, for their members to wear, on and off the green, for the month of February.
The initiative serves two primary purposes; by generating funds to support organ and tissue awareness through the sale of Zaidee’s Rainbow Shoelaces, and just as importantly, inspiring discussion and conversation about the benefits of donation among the community.
Clubs are able to order the shoelaces directly from Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation by completing this order form, with Zaidee’s set to distribute all shoelaces in the last two weeks of January for the February campaign.
The Shoelaces, which cost $2.00 per pair and must be purchased in boxes of 50 pairs, come in two sizes, with an even amount of 110cm and 140cm laces in each box, and delivery is provided free of charge.
As an incentive to support the campaign during February next year, the club which purchases the most amount of shoelaces by February 28, 2017 will win a two hour coaching clinic with an Australian Jackaroo for their club members.
Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundations was established in 2004 by CEO Allan Turner and his wife Kim, following the sudden death of their seven-year-old daughter, Zaidee, from a burst blood vessel in the brain called Cerebral Aneurism.
At the time of Zaidee’s death, the Turner family had been registered organ and tissue donors for five years, which made it possible for Zaidee to donate her organs and tissues at the Royal Children’s Hospital, which resulted in the lives of up to seven other people being improved or saved.
Zaidee was also one of only six children to donate nationally and one of the youngest Australian donors on record that year.
Through this partnership, Bowls Australia look to assist ZRF to achieve its mission of inspiring discussion about organ and tissue donation to save and improve lives.
“Currently, there are more than 1500 people on the national transplant waiting list in Australia,” ZRF CEO Allan Turner said.
“More than 50 of those waiting are children. Our Foundation exists to give children and adults of all ages a second chance in life by helping to inspire discussion about organ and tissue donation.
“We are now seeking the support of all Bowls Clubs nationally to help support Zaidee’s campaign to drive further awareness and education within all communities around Australia, and a great place to start is in local Lawn Bowls Clubs.”
The launch of this initiative coincides with the 12 year anniversary of the sad passing of Zaidee Turner.
Click here to view the Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation order form for the Zaidee’s Rainbow Shoelaces.
Click here to learn more about Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation.
