I spent a few hours behind bars this morning.
Today I broadcast my 98.5 Sonshine FM radio programme from Fremantle Prison, where I was held captive while I asked people to donate towards Cystic Fibrosis WA so that I could be released.
Let me say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who donated and to everyone who helped promote the event via their blog or through email.
During the morning I chatted to my regular Friday morning guests, Jill Bonanno and Mic Cullen, as well as a number of other guests who were at the prison to help the cause.
I talked to Western Australia’s first female Premier and current Federal Member for Fremantle, Dr. Carmen Lawrence, as well as a local priest, John Meagher, who is a direct descendant of one of the original convicts sent to WA and several other very interesting people.
Two of my guests this morning, Sarah Quinn and Mitch Messer, suffer from Cystic Fibrosis and were able to tell first hand of the punishing routines they face each day to simply stay alive. Sarah is just 22 and has already had a double lung transplant. They were absolutely inspirational.
I also spoke to Peter Tagliaferri, Mayor of Fremantle, whose father and grandfather both spent time inside the prison during World War II because of their Italian heritage.
Bevan Beaver, the Executive Manager of Fremantle Prison, spoke to me about the prison’s history and how it was built with convict labour. It’s hard to believe that the cramped, inhuman cells still held prisoners up until 1991. One of these days I’m going to have to make time to go on one of the prison tours to get a better understanding of the place.
Other interviewees included Alex Poor, Darren Schmidtke, and Luke Walker. It was a busy morning punctuated by all kinds of songs about either freedom or prison.
As for the cause of today’s excersize, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common life threatening, recessive genetic condition affecting Australian children and is the second most common life-shortening, childhood onset inherited disorder in the United States. For such a serious condition it really doesn’t get a lot of attention.
You can read more about Cystic Fibrosis in this post.
While I’ve already managed to break free, it’s not too late to donate. If you’d like to give to a great cause, simply click here then scroll down the page and select Convicts for a Cause Donation. Type ‘Rodney Olsen’ into the text box and select the amount you’d like to donate.
Donations can be accepted on Visa or MasterCard. Please keep in mind that the amounts are in Australian Dollars and of course the tax deductibility is only available in Australia. If you’re not in Australia and you’d like to work out the exchange rate you can work it out through this currency converter.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
Technorati Tags: Cystic Fibrosis – Prison Break – Donations
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Thanks Rodney, what a fantastic idea for a very needy cause. One of my friends in high school had CF, and I watched another friend die from this horrid disease almost 2 years ago. Did you know that the root cause of CF is the inability of salt to penetrate the cell membrane? It seems like such a simple thing, with today’s technology, I’m amazed we haven’t already fixed the problem. I’ll be keeping an eye out to see how much you raise, I’d also be interested to hear about how you got interested in CF and why you chose this particular disease to fight for. Thanks again, you’re a champ.
You’re out already? You looked good behind bars 🙂
You’re so cute!!!
Do all the jailbirds have that outfit? This side up?
SO who paid the final ransom, the last I heard at 12pm was that you hadn’t reached the bail amount yet
🙂
i’m glad that there were enough folk around to spring you out of jail … and for a good cause too!
blessings on ya!
p.s. our summer is coming – i have already been riding my bike without a heavy sweater or sweatshirt on!! YAY!!
Congrats on your work for a worthy cause Rodney. Well done. I thought JD might have intercepted the donations to keep you in a bit longer.
So do share, how did you feel being locked up?
I went for a long walk on Friday and had my little radio earpiece in, I loved the song “Take the shackles of so I can dance” and the other jail songs.
Congratulations for doing this for a good cause! I love the outfit.
HEy Rodney!!!! I’m doing pretty well in the footy tipping, hey? What’s happened with you – and it’s your tipping competition 🙂
Just wondering, have you seen this web page? http://www.rodneyolsen.com/ I couldn’t remember your address and typed that in…and cracked up laughing 🙂
😀 Great photos!!
I didn’t think CF sufferers even lived into their 20s! That is really awesome.
I would love to know more about the prison’s history, too. We have a very historical prison here in OH (Mansfield, where Shawshank was filmed).
Paula´s link is just tooo funny! 🙂
I hope you´re not still stuck in Freo´s prison? No update yet!