Bondi Beach overrun with cows to raise awareness for organ donation
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Beachgoers at Bondi today shared the sunshine and sand with a different kind of tourist — about 40 cattle, brought to the city to raise awareness about the challenges around organ transplants in regional areas.
The cattle drive was to raise money and awareness for organ and tissue donation, with each cow sponsored by a community group from around the country.
Each rider has a personal story of organ donation.
People in need of a transplant often have a long wait time and for many, it does not come soon enough.
There are 1,400 people on the national waiting list for organ transplants; around a third live outside the city.
The issue is particularly pressing in regional and remote areas of Australia, where distance from medical facilities adds to an already complicated problem.
Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt said there were many hurdles to overcome for those needing a transplant in a regional community.
Steve Ernst from Scone had a heart transplant 10 years ago and said being part of the event was a way to give back.
"I was given basically weeks to live towards the end and was lucky enough to receive the heart at the right time," he said.
"It wasn't straightforward. You had to come down to town four times.
"Well, I made a number of visits [to hospital] to be kept alive, to accept the heart, but four false starts where I was called down for transplant and it wasn't going to match correctly and sent back home.
"It was quite traumatic for me, but I never lost hope."
Funds raised from the Herd of Hope event will go towards establishing initiatives that will support recipients and donor families in rural and regional Australia.
Topics: community-and-society, charities-and-community-organisations, community-organisations, health, bondi-beach-2026
