Zaidee Rose Alexander Turner – aged 7 years and 22 days died suddenly on 2nd December 2004 from a burst blood vessel in her brain called a Cerebral Aneurism. Zaidee’s parents, Kim and Allan, founded Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation not long after.
At the time of Zaidee’s death the Turner family had been registered Organ and Tissue Donors for 5 years. As a result Zaidee donated her Organs and Tissues at the Royal Children’s Hospital, as were her wishes at the time. From this gift, the lives of up to seven other people were improved or saved.
Zaidee was the only child in Victoria under the age of 16 years and we have been told one of the youngest Australians to donate her organs and tissues in 2004. She was only 1 of 6 children nationally to donate their organs.
Zaidee’s Story is directed towards both children and adults so they can think about others who are waiting for a life saving operation and a suitable match for an organ or tissue. Think about giving this gift to others so they can live a better life and in some cases, have a second chance at life.
Zaidee’s gift of her organs to others will allow them to have another birthday. 1 in 5 people on the transplant waiting list mwill never get the chance to have another birthday if people do not become registered donors.
The symbol is representative of hope; after every storm the sun shines and there is a rainbow. For those people on the transplant waiting list, the rainbow symbol offers them hope. At the end of their rainbow is an organ or tissue to improve their life – or in most cases – save their life.