Australian V8 Ute Racing will remember a hero organ donor who saved six peoples’ lives after he was tragically killed in a fatal accident at the Clipsal 500 event in Adelaide 2008.
Former V8 Utes Rookie of the Year, Ashley Cooper died when his Fujitusu V8 Supercar hit a wall at 200km/h, leaving behind his family and two children.
In honour of Cooper’s life, the family run, Ashley Cooper Appeal, aims to raise awareness for the need of organ donors across Australia, by selling bandanas at this year’s Clipsal 500 event.
Coopers sister and Appeal coordinator Rachael Martin says she hopes the bandanas will be a very successful tool in an endeavor to raise awareness.
“The bandanas will have a swing tag attached with details on how to register as an organ donor, which we hope will help donors register,” said Mrs Martin.
“My brother was an incredible man who gave the ultimate gift, I feel blessed to know that at this difficult time for our family we can find some comfort in focusing on Ash being a donor,” said Mrs Martin.
The bandanas will be available from the Ashley Cooper Appeal marquee at Clipsal 500 from Thursday, 19th March.
If you are unable to make it to the track you can also visit www.ashleycoper.com.ay to purchase bandanas.
All of the support category entrants at Clipsal this year will be wearing black arm bands as a show of respect for Ashley Cooper and to promote the importance of organ donors.
Australian V8 Ute Racing Category Manager, Mr Bill West believes this is a great cause and that everyone should get behind it.
“The Cooper family have done a great thing here and we will do all we can to support this fabulous Appeal,” said West.
“Last year we initiated the Ashley Cooper Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series Rookie of the year.”
“The Australian V8 Ute Racing admin team will be leading the charge paying tribute to Ashley by wearing the black armbands over the Clipsal weekend,” he said.
Coincidentally the anniversary of Ashley’s passing was during the Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week (AODAW), which is the largest public awareness campaign in Australia associated with organ and tissue donation for transplantation.
This year AODAW was held from Saturday 21 February to Saturday 28 February.
The Ashley Cooper Appeal helps raise awareness in Australia by focusing on the pressing need for organ and tissue donation and promoting the registration of consent to the Australian Organ Donor Register.
The Appeal is also set-up to support other families in the same circumstances and to encourage others to help save lives such as what Ashley did.
Clipsal 500 and round one of the Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series will begin on the streets of Adelaide 19 – 22 March.
