Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday, on a glorious Canberra spring day, my runners got a big-time work-out and I was reminded again that I need to get new runners, as a result of the work-out they got. I had the opportunity yesterday morning of going on the Alzheimer's Australia Canberra Memory Walk & Jog. This walk has gone from strength to strength. It started with just 100 people a few years ago; yesterday, there were more than 450 registrants. Those participants raised $20,000 in funds for a really worthwhile cause that touches so many lives in our communities, including here in the Canberra community. It was great fun to take part in that walk.

An hour later I then donned another T-shirt and went off to the Canberra Big Red Kidney Walk. Thousands of Canberrans took part in a walk around the lake—again, a gorgeous spring day here in Canberra. Everyone was out and about around the lake. That was designed to raise awareness about the importance of kidney health. Anyone who has been to a dialysis unit would know the importance of kidney health. As a strong advocate of organ and tissue donation, I have been to a number of those units over the years. I met a woman, a Canberran, who had been on dialysis for seven years and has just had a transplant. She was there with her family and friends. It was great to see her out. Mr Deputy Speaker, please encourage all your constituents to give the gift of life and register as an organ and tissue donor.