Heart and Lung Transplant Trust

Welcome to the website of the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust (Victoria) Incorporated based in Melbourne, Australia.  Our organisation assists our members who are pre- and post- heart and lung transplant patients of The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne.

Accommodation Launch

The Committee is delighted to announce the new accommodation program for rural & interstate post transplant patients.  We are holding a launch party on Thursday 31 May at 6.30pm Park Regis, 604 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.  Please join us!  More details here.

Movie Night Fundraiser for the Accommodation Project

One of our members has organised a fundraiser for the accommodation project. Come along to the Dendy Brighton Cinemas on Wednesday 13th June for an 8:15 screening of 'Friends With Kids'. $30, includes supper, with $10 from every ticket going to the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust (Vic) Inc Accommodation Project. Gold coin raffle also on the night. Contact Eleni Martakis ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 0401 610 232) for more details.

President's message

Claude Turco, our President, has penned a new message for members.  Check it out here.

DonateLife Service of Rememberance

The 2012 DonateLife Service of Rememberance is on Saturday May 26th at 2pm (doors open at 1:15pm). It will be at Storey Hall, RMIT, Building 16, 336 Swanston St, Melbourne. Transplant recipients, donor families and supporters all welcome.

2012 Raffle

The 2012 raffle will be drawn at 1pm on Friday 29 June at 3rd Floor Heart Transplant Clinic, The Alfred Hospital.

1st Prize - Accommodation package in Lakes Entrance worth over $800.

2nd Prize –‘Country Life’ Patchwork Quilt

Your help in selling raffle tickets in your area would be very much appreciated.

Please contact Rom on 0418 514 227 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to arrange for raffle books to be sent to you.

For more information click here

Member fitness grant

The Trust is pleased to announce that a new fitness grant is available to post transplant members to assist in their fitness activities. It provides a 50% reimbursement up to a maximum $150 per member to encourage members to keep fit and healthy. more

2012 Australian Transplant Games - Registration now open!

In 2012, the Austalian Transplant Games are being held in Newcastle in Sept/October. Registration for the games has just opened. To find out more, and register for the games, click here.

Next BBQ

The next BBQ will be the annual Christmas BBQ on Sunday the 25th November from 11am, in Fawkner Park, opposite the entrance to the Alfred. Meat, bread, soft drink and salad provided, BYO alcohol. Chairs and picnic rugs a must, and come prepared for any weather because there is no cover. Hope to see you there!

'The Last Race'

'The Last Race' is an Australian short film about organ donation, and was broadcast on ABC1 on the 26th February 2012, at the end of DonateLife week.

This powerful film is inspired by the personal experience of producer Anita Belgiorno-Nettis, whose brother became an organ donor nine years ago.

The Last Race highlights different perspectives of organ donation - a family confronted with the sudden death of their son, a young girl whose only chance of a future is receiving a lung transplant and the staff involved in caring for the patients and their families.  The film was launched by the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King on Wednesday 22 February 2012 in Sydney.  Anita Belgiorno-Nettis is the sole director of Alagna Films and the executive producer and co-producer of The Last Race.  Anita was the Executive Producer of the renowned Australian film The Black Balloon, Winner of the Crystal Bear at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival and Winner of Best Picture at the Australian Film Industry (AFI) awards.

To find out more, including how to get a copy of the DVD, click here.

Organ donors increasing but more Australians need to ask and know

A DonateLife media release on 8 June 2011 has highlighted the increasing number of organ donors but that more Australian need to ask and know

• 416 Australian lives saved or improved by donated organs from 141 deceased donors in year to date (January – May 2011).
• This represents highest donation and transplantation outcomes for the same period since national records began
• 40% of Australians still do not know donation wishes of their loved ones.
• Family consent rates remain less than 60%.
• 1,602 Australians on national transplant waiting lists as at 2 May 2011   more

Heart to Heart Respite House

The house is  maintained as a respite home in Barmah, Victoria, for use by pre and post heart and lung transplant patients and their carers, so that they may have a place to rest, recuperate, recover and have a break. more

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