An open letter from Mat Baxter
After the news last week that UM staffer Will Chapman was recovering from a transplant operation, the agency’s boss Mat Baxter has written an open letter to the industry.
All too often our industry is at war with itself. We argue tirelessly. We relentlessly undercut one another. And worse still, there is nastiness and bullying on our industry websites that puts other “professions” to shame.
So, in a business best characterised by its divisiveness and infighting, the times when we unite are rare and pretty special.
There was one such moment recently when the industry came together to help a staff member of ours, Will Chapman. At only 20 years old, Will was in desperate need of a double lung and heart transplant. His doctors had placed him on the donor organ waiting list but things looked bleak – the list is long, and in Australia we have some of the lowest rates of organ donation in the world. Will was told that without a suitable organ donor, he would be dead by Christmas.
Well said Mat..
Go Will!
Great words Matt and fantastic to hear support came from all sides for Will and the greater cause.
couldn’t have said it better myself.
all the best for a speedy recovering will.
Well said Matt and Great news about Will!
Bloody hell. Think I’ll try harder today.
Great story and well said
Great news for Will and his family!
Thanks Mat for keeping us informed. What an incredibly brave young man Will is. Wishing him all the best for a succesful recovery
lovely article Mat and great to hear that Will’s recovering well. The campaign was one of the best i’ve ever seen and remains the only advertising that made me get up and do something right away. Ironically….it was the print execution i responded to…
A great story that should lift everyone. Good luck to Will on his recovery
Living proof that where there’s a will there’s a way.
Top effort by all.
Stoked for Will – this was one of the most amazing campaigns I have seen in a long time & it definitely had me talking to my family & friends about donation!
Mat, a really wonderful story BUT all evidence to date is that advertising in support of organ donation makes virtually no difference. What does make a difference is
1) ensuring that every potential donor throughout the entire hospital system is identified by suitably qualified doctors and
2) that every potential donor becomes an actual donor by ensuring that the obtaining of consent is handled compassionately by well-trained requestors (doctors)
If only advertising would focus on the hospital processes rather than blaming the public perhaps we may see a substantial increase of organ donors.
I love the quote in one of the comments, “Where there is a Will, there is a way”.
Will looked great on Saturday and I wish him a healthy and active life ahead.
Brian Myerson
Max,
Thanks for your support of organ donation. We are trying to help Australia improve the Transplant rate from 43 Transplant per million to a world best standard of 90 Transplant per million. Any support is much appreciated.
Chy
On behalf of the Chapman family a heartfelt thank you to the team at UM lead by Mat for being the catalyst of a media miracle that identified the serious issues that plague Australia’s transplantation system. Thanks to Brian Meyerson for nailing the truth. This journey has proven devastatingly enlightening and frustratingly solvable.
Fortunately, Will was lucky. Thousands are not. We need to ensure that the people responsible for transforming the operational systems within hospitals are dedicated and achieving what they’re paid to do. In media, I’m sure if your client came to you with $150 million and the return on investment was negligible, you would soon be out of business. Eternal gratitude and love to the courageously selfless family that granted my son his gracious gift.
Julie Chapman
Fuckin’ awesome. Great work all-round.
Beautiful story.
Wishing Will the best recovery possible.
Lovely to hear the silly commodity we fiddle with can help give everything to a young precious life. From cord donation to major organ donation, there’s way too many hurdles, and without awareness (including adv) there can be no reform. It would be truly unifying if this could continue beyond Will’s wonderful story and become an ongoing industry supported initiative.
Best wishes to Will for a full recovery and long and happy life.
Bel
What a heartfelt and beautiful statement. William is a particularly amazing young man and it’s lovely that you recognise him in this way. Same goes for the incredible family who have given William his gift. All our love goes their way. Thank you. Sarah
What a legend
I agree with Bel… there is more work to be done and we can only do it with support. It would be amazing if the industry could continue to put pressure on those who can create the changes we need and overhaul the donor system in Australia. William and his family have inspired so many to talk and think about this issue…please don’t let the momentum stop. They are an incredible family. During the most difficult time in their lives they dedicated themselves to creating positive change for the rest of us. Wishing William a long, happy, healthy life which now is full of possibilities. Liz
Bravo
Great cause – and a great example below how advertising can make a difference
The premise for a 2007 Dutch reality show (De Grote Donorshow) was that three patients in need of a kidney compete for the organs of a terminally ill woman; the dying woman was to pick the winner, with input from viewers. The show drew huge criticism before it aired and Dutch health officials condemned it and unsuccessfully tried to block it going to air.
But there was a twist. Near the end of the programme, presenters revealed that the show was a hoax to draw attention to the Netherlands’ shortage of organ donors. The “terminally ill” woman was a healthy actress, and while the three contestants really did need kidneys, they were in on the stunt to help increase awareness. It may have been crass but the stunt worked: A day after the airing, 43,000 viewers requested forms to become organ donors. (Via Mental Floss’s The 25 Most Powerful TV Shows of the Last 25 Years)
I can’t say a story on Mumbrella has ever brought me to tears before, but they are rolling down my cheeks right now. So stoked for Will and his family, and immensely proud of the work Mat and the UM team have done for this great cause.
Great letter. Australia needs too be told as I never relised I could be over written . My entire family has been informed of my wishes. Thanks for teaching us . Will is admirable for his courage and his family. Got Australia talking.
Great news – it does show that we can work toegther when we want to! Wishing you a very very speedy recovery Will.
Great Story. I’d like to see a similar outcome for Mark Colvin who contracted his illness on the Job. Great that the ABC works around his medical needs, but more could be done. And thanks to you all we know it can happen.
Totally inspired by this story. Wishing you every bit of new good health will.
Only last Saturday did a full page “DONT BURY ME” ad appeared in Qweekend (Courier Mail supplement- Brisbane). Thankfully Will’s prayers had already been answered and hopefully his recovery will continue with the same enthusiasm that Will has given to this awareness campaign for organ donation. Australia needs an OPT OUT not IN register so that in death we promote life. As a PH sufferer I commend your efforts in making Australians aware of our plight.
Nicely said Mat.
All the best to Will! What an amazing young man!
Such a beautiful story. Good luck to you Will
fantastic
Mat – I think you’re amazing.
All my best to Will – what a wonderful gift and what a courageous young man.