Release date: 22/06/2010
Engineering giants Baulderstone have joined with The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation to support the development of the BiVACOR™ total artificial heart.
Baulderstone is celebrating the beginning of a three-year partnership with the Foundation to provide funding and support to the project. Foundation Chair John Hamilton said the agreement will help fund the next stage of the BiVACOR™ development, bringing it closer to human use. “Heart disease is the biggest killer in the world and while treatments are constantly improving there is still ever increasing demand for heart transplants beyond the availability of donor hearts,” Mr Hamilton said. “Once completed, the BiVACOR™ artificial heart will add life to our patients’ years, as well as years to their lives, whilst they await transplant or be an alternative to transplant for some patients. “Whether it’s constructing operating theatres or building mechanical hearts, Baulderstone is demonstrating its commitment to creating what matters.” BiVACOR™ is being developed by the Critical Care Research Group, headed by Associate Professor John Fraser. The team includes Dr Daniel Timms, the inventor, and biomedical and mechanical engineers, doctors, nurses and scientists. Baulderstone’s General Manager Queensland, Stephen Green, said the obvious synergy between their engineers and the young engineers working on BiVACOR™ was one of the attractions of the project. “Like the young engineers working on BiVACOR™, our team understands the research and innovation required to develop state-of-the-art health infrastructure,” Mr Green said. “In the past 10 years Baulderstone has delivered more than $500 million in vital health projects to Queensland from multiple upgrades of The Prince Charles Hospital to our current work on the Robina Hospital upgrade. “This donation and partnership reinforces our contribution to the community and is an even more personal contribution to helping save lives.” The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation is the charity which supports research at The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane. Chairman John Hamilton said he’s delighted that the Foundation is now forging such strong relationships with corporate partners to ensure consistent support for finding cures and saving lives. Heart disease kills 50,000 Australian men, women and children and is the cause of 30% of paediatric deaths. The BiVACOR™ will be suitable for use in both adults and children. For more information about the research supported by The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, visit www.findingcures.com.au Download the media release (pdf)
Media contacts: Christine Atkinson, The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation ph (07) 3139 6350 Carla Carroll, Baulderstone ph (07) 3835 0582