My African driving tour in memory of brother who saved meSAM EMANUEL
04 January 2009 16:00
A Norwich man whose life was saved by a kidney transplant at the age of just 26 has organised a massive driving tour to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and raise money for healthcare in Africa.
Graciano Masauso, now 35, who lives in Mawkin Drive, Bowthorpe, thought he was going to die when both his kidneys failed after an infection in 1997, but he was saved after two years of dialysis when his late brother Andrew donated a kidney while he was still alive.
Now Mr Masauso has organised the Africa Health Drive to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his transplant in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The drive is designed to give something back to the community as a thank you for saving his life, as students at the University of Zimbabwe, primary and secondary school children, government officials, members of the diplomatic missions, missionaries and Graciano's family all helped to raise the money needed for the operation.
He said: “I was devastated when he (Andrew) died but in a way I feel like my brother is still living in me because I have his kidney. “It's very important that people register for organ donation and save lives you really do save lives. If I hadn't had a transplant I certainly wouldn't be here today.
“Africa Health Drive will not be possible without the support and generosity of the public and well-wishers. We need people to help us support those in need in Africa. People can either travel the whole journey or join us on the way for part of the journey.
“We are also looking for celebrities to support us and challengers to take part in White Water Rafting along Zambezi River and mountain trek on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.”
The adventurous tour of approximately 50,000 miles across Africa and Europe will start in UK, go through the Channel Tunnel to France, through Spain, Portugal, the Strait of Gibraltar and into Morocco.
The team will then travel along the west coast of Africa down to Cape Town, South Africa, stopping at Johannesburg on August 14 2009 for a celebration at the Garden City Hospital at which Mr Masauso was a patient.
They will then travel along the east coast, stopping in Zimbabwe, Graciano's home country, and visit Addis Ababa in Ethiopia for the African Union meeting on health and Geneva for the World Health Organisation meeting on health in Africa.
Finally they will travel back through Western Europe, stopping in Brussels, Belgium and Strasbourg, France for EU support.
They will conclude the trip with a visit to 10 Downing Street to hand over a petition about health in Africa.
Mr Masauso is appealing for specialist drivers, mechanics, navigators, webmasters, fundraisers, broadcasters, writers, interpreters, fundraisers and organisers to join him, and is also looking for sponsorship for all aspects of the tour.
If you can help the project in any way, please contact Mr Masauso at the Africa Health Organisation on 01603 744604, or email gmasauso@yahoo.com
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