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[22 January, 2007] V The Li Ka Shing Foundation announced the donation
of A$3 million over ten years to the Royal Flying Doctor Service
("RFDS") of Australia.
The pledged A$3 million will be used to fund an innovative public
health and education programme initiated by RFDS and represents
the largest donation of its kind received by the organization in
its entire 79-year history. The project's overriding vision is to
promote, encourage and support healthy lifestyle changes in remote
areas of South Australia, focusing on increased physical activity,
improved dietary intake and health education.
The Programme aims to improve the health and wellbeing of Indigenous
and non-Indigenous South Australians, who are prone to obesity-related
conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases,
cancer, and endocrine diseases.
The announcement ceremony was attended by Premier Mike Rann of
South Australia; Mr Peter Tulloch, Chairman of the Management Committee
of the Programme and Chairman of ETSA Utilities; and Mr David Hills,
Chairman of RFDS Central Operations.
Announcing the sponsorship, Mr Tulloch said: "The Li Ka Shing
Foundation is pleased to support the invaluable work of the RFDS
through this ten-year commitment to health improvement in South
Australia. The RFDS is the largest and most comprehensive aero-medical
organization in the world, providing a crucial lifeline to those
who live, work and travel in rural and remote Australia."
Mr Tulloch continued, "With a long history of promoting educational,
health and humanitarian initiatives around the world, the Li Ka
Shing Foundation is committed to supporting pioneering projects
that foster a better society. We believe that this long-term initiative
will bring immense benefits to the community."
Mr Hills said: "We are delighted with the commitment from
the Li Ka Shing Foundation, without whose support the RFDS would
not be in a position to deliver this progamme."
"A health programme of this scale, with a ten-year commitment,
offers the opportunity to make a tremendous generational difference
in improving health outcomes in regional South Australia,"
Mr Hills continued.
Under the sponsorship, the RFDS will employ two specialists at
its Port Augusta base to oversee the programme and liaise with communities
across South Australia. The progress of the project will be monitored
and the subject of scientific research papers.
The Li Ka Shing Foundation was established by Mr Li Ka-shing in
1980. The Foundation focuses on capacity building and the nurturing
of a caring society, reflecting the founder's belief that a culture
of giving is crucial to the well-being of society. More than 80%
of the Foundation's gifts and endowments are in education, medical
research and healthcare projects. Since its establishment, the Li
Ka Shing Foundation and other private charitable Foundations set
up by Mr Li have supported numerous charities with commitments of
over A$1.3 billion (HK$8.3 billion).
Mr Li is founder of the Cheung Kong Group, of which Cheung Kong
Infrastructure Holdings Limited (a part owner of ETSA Utilities)
is a member.
The RFDS is one of Australia's great icons and in 2007 will celebrate
79 years of service to the community. The RFDS is widely recognized
as the world's most unique provider of aero-medical services.
Last year the RFDS flew more than 20 million kilometres across
Australia with crews making 230,000 patient contacts. The RFDS has
expanded its traditional role of providing emergency flights for
victims of accident or illness to include clinic flights to isolated
communities, rural women's General Practitioner service, air ambulance
transfers, mental health services and the provision of medical chests
to isolated communities
RFDS Central Operations serves South Australia and the lower half
of the Northern Territory from bases in Adelaide, Port Augusta and
Alice Springs.
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