Wizid creates new Medical fundraising concept

Peter Holz, Managing Director of access, identity and security suppliers Wizid has established a new way to raise funds for research into a rare medical condition.

When Holz became a grandfather for the first time recently, his baby granddaughter's struggle with a rare chromosome abnormality alerted him to the prevalence of the condition. The experience led Holz to resolve to find an ongoing way for his business to contribute towards medical research to help those afflicted.

His granddaughter, Eva , weighed just 1.8kg when she was born and soon developed heart problems that meant she spent her early weeks in neo-natal intensive care.

As Holz explains "Eva has been a real fighter from the very start

"The early weeks were particularly tough on her parents who stayed by her bedside around the clock.

"Coincidentally, before Eva's arrival Wizid had already been planning to run a 'Jeans for Genes Day' on 6th August. However, as Holz explains âthe week it was being held, (Eva's parents) received what they referred to as âthe killer blowâ: that Eva had a rare chromosomal abnormality with only 100 known cases worldwide."

Holz began researching what it might mean for Eva, which led him to look at the Jeans for Genes website in more detail, and also to visit a UK charity called 'Unique' that supports people and families affected by chromosomal abnormality.

Holz adds "I was really shocked to discover that 1 in 200 babies born is affected in some way by a chromosomal abnormality.

"It was also apparent that the charities that support vital medical research in this area seem chronically underfunded."

Holz considered various ways that his business could get behind this cause and settled upon making a donation of $1 to the charities for every invoice his company sends out each month.

Holz continues "it's easy to administer, we simply work out what invoice number we started with at the beginning of the month, and what number weâre up to at the end. The difference is the dollar amount we send to Jeans for Genes and Unique."

Holz expects to make a donation of around $5,000 each to Jeans for Genes and Unique in the current financial year.

He adds, "this concept is easy to adapt for all types of businesses ⦠if our system doesn't work in your case, simply find something in your workplace that is measurable and attach a value to it. For example, if you sell low priced products such as coffee, you could consider donating 1c per cup to a charity of your choice. In this way, the concept can be applied to all sized businesses."

Eva's parents are now enjoying being home with their daughter and heart condition has improved leading her family to hope that her chromosomal abnormality will have little implication in her life.

As Holz concludes "it's times like these that you realise the importance of getting behind the people who are in a position to improve the lives of these little ones, and to help their families too.

"I think that most businesses could find an easy way to correlate their sales with donations to charities â and make a huge difference to the lives of others as a result."

 Click here for more information or contact Peter Holz on 02 4351 9566, E: peter@wizid.com.au

20th March 2009 - WIZID SOLUTION FOR ACCESS