Droving for Donors

THERE is a gazetted stock route over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Scone man Steve Ernst is hoping to herd 40 head of heifers across the harbour in November to raise awareness for organ transplant in regional areas.

“Of course we have to pay a toll which is a threepence,” laughed Steve Ernst.

Steve Ernst with his horse Atom who hope to herd 40 heifers across the harbour bridge.

Mr Ernst was a well-known local cowboy who was as fit as a Mallee bull until his heart began to fail and he became unable to walk.

“They put a catheter down into my heart and they can tell from the pressure how long I may have to live and they said hey you’ve only got another week or two to live,” he said.

“It’s about hanging onto hope at that point because it is difficult being at home waiting for the call and while I wasn’t dancing in daisies I at least wasn’t pushing them up, so I had hope,” he said.

“At the time when you get a call though you know a family has just made the decision to turn off life support and it would be incredible agony for them,” he said.

The success rate of organ transplants has improved exponentially in the last 20 years due to new immune suppressant medications.

As the success of transplants has improved the number of people suitable to receive a transplant has also increased and the need for donors is even greater.

“I went from not being able to walk at all to back riding a horse in eight weeks, we just put it down to cowboy toughness,” he said.

“After the transplant you start thinking about how can I repay for such an incredible gift?”

“That is when Megan Willoughby from the Barossa, who is also a transplant recipient came up with the idea to raise awareness for organ donation, especially in regional Australia and drove across the Harbour Bridge,” he said.

“There are ten stockman who have been impacted by transplants as transplant recipients or family of transplant recipients or family of donors,” he said.

“And we have agreed that we will make an extra spot for Barnaby Joyce if he’d like to join us,” Steve Ernst said.

For more information:

Visit the Facebook page: Herd of Hope.

Visit the government website: DonateLife.

IMPORTANT: If you would like your organs donated, you need to ensure your next of kin know you wishes, as they will have to make the final decision.

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• Gathering to the Fray in Bondi – March 15, 2018.