Israeli blood bank director to launch MDA 2010 appeal
MAGEN David Adom Victoria will launch its annual appeal next week with the help of the organisation's Israeli blood bank director, Professor Eilat Shinar.
MAGEN David Adom (MDA) Victoria will launch its annual appeal next week with the help of the organisation’s Israeli blood bank director, Professor Eilat Shinar.
Prof Shinar will arrive in Australia this week and address gatherings on the Gold Coast and in Sydney, before launching the Victorian appeal next Saturday night.
Director of the MDA blood bank since 2007, Prof Shinar specialised in haematology at Hadassah Medical Centre before spending a number of years at Harvard.
“I am a passionate person. Studying and practising medicine gave me the possibility to work with people and hopefully to be able to treat them and help them overcome severe illnesses and pain,” she told The AJN ahead of her trip to Australia. “Although I loved my work … at Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem, working as the director of MDA blood services opened an even more challenging and interesting field.”
While in the country, Prof Shinar will also address school groups and meet with her counterparts at the Australian Red Cross.
“Of course, I am hoping to learn from our peers in Australia. Israel has, unfortunately, accumulated much experience on the subject of preparedness and response to man-made disasters. We can and will share our experience in the management of a national blood supply under these conditions,” she said.
It won’t be the professor’s first visit Down Under.
“I actually visited Australia 10 years ago when participating in a meeting of the Australian Society of Haematology in Perth and gave a lecture to the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Canberra,” she explained.
“I was overwhelmed by the excellent and lovely people I met everywhere [and] the very interesting nature. I hope to get more of both during my present visit to your lovely continent.”
MDA Victoria is appealing for funds to equip all mobile intensive care units in Israel with defibrillators. This will help increase the survival rate of heart attack patients from 55 per cent to 70 per cent.
Enquiries: (03) 9272 5633; info@mdavic.org.
DALIA SABLE
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