The Renai Brown Family Trust presented a donation of $60,000 to the New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit on the 22nd June 2001.  The New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit is establishing a Trust Fund to use this donation to benefit liver transplant recipients and caregivers.  The income from the Trust will be used as the needs arise.  Additional donations to the Trust Fund are welcomed.  For further information about how to donate, please contact the New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit.

Auckland Hospital liver transplant patients and their families will benefit from a generous $60,000 donation made today by the Renai Brown Family Trust.

The New Zealand Transplant Unit at Auckland Hospital will set up a trust with the donation.  Interest from the fund will be given to patients and their families to assist with living expenses while they or a family member receives treatment.

"There are a number of patients who experience financial hardship while away from home and the small payments we can make from the new trust will help them enormously," explained the director of the NZ Liver Transplant Service, Professor Stephen Munn.  "We are extremely grateful to the Renai Brown Family Trust for this opportunity."

The Renai Brown Family Trust was set up in 1994 when 12 year-old Renai Brown of Omakau in Central Otago was diagnosed with a rare liver disorder.  It was later discovered that three other members of the family could also be affected with the same disorder.  However, only Renai has so far required a liver transplant.  At the time, the operation could only be performed in Brisbane, Australia, so the Omakau District Lions Club started a fundraising campaign to send Renai to Brisbane.

"The response was fantastic.  In only six weeks the Lions club, local groups, and local people raised $142,868.  After paying for the operation the trust still had money which was invested and the fund has grown substantially," said trust chairman Barrie Mee.

Mr Mee said the trustees had decided that some money should go to the new venture and the remainder retained for another nine years in case the other three members of the Brown family are affected by the same disorder.  Fortunately, however, the chance of that happening reduces as they get older.

Meanwhile, Renai has made a full recovery and is a happy 18 year-old.

The NZ Liver Transplant Unit hopes to attract further donations to the new trust to maintain it in perpetuity.

For further information contact:

Prof. Stephen Munn, director of the NZ Liver Transplant Unit, Auckland Hospital, Auckland.  Phone: 09 307 4949 extn 6436

Mr. Barrie Mee, Chairman Renai Brown Family Trust, Wanaka.  Phone: 03 443 6254

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