User:Andy.tookey
Andy Tookey | |
|---|---|
| Born | United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British, New Zealander |
| Occupation | Organ donation campaigner |
| Known for | Founder of GiveLife NZ |
| Spouse | Janice Tookey |
| Children | 3 |
Andy Tookey is a British-New Zealand organ donation campaigner and founder of GiveLife NZ, a lobby group advocating for reform in New Zealand's organ donation system. He is known for his efforts to improve public policy, raise awareness, and push for legislation that supports and respects the wishes of organ donors.
Early life and career
[edit]Tookey was born in the United Kingdom and educated at Queens Comprehensive in Newport, Gwent. He later attended Pontypool Technical College, earning City & Guilds Certificates in Electronic Engineering. He began his career in sound and lighting, working with various companies across the UK and training with a sound engineering firm specializing in public address events and recordings.
In 1984, Tookey joined Cunard Line, initially working on the Cunard Countess as a Sound/Lighting Technician, sailing the Caribbean for four years. He then transferred to the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), serving as Technical Stage Manager and Television Station Manager until around 1994. After leaving Cunard to start a family, he worked as an Entertainment Supervisor at Thorpe Park and later at the University of Westminster in London.
Tookey moved to New Zealand in approximately 1996.
Advocacy and organ donation reform
[edit]In 2001, Tookey founded GiveLife NZ, driven by personal experience after his daughter, Katie, was diagnosed with a rare liver disease requiring a transplant. Discovering the limitations of New Zealand’s organ donation system, he began a campaign for legal and systemic change.
He co-authored the Human Tissue (Organ Donation) Amendment Bill with National MP Dr. Jackie Blue, which proposed establishing a binding national organ donor register. Although the bill passed its first reading in Parliament in 2006, it was later voted down in 2007.[1][2]
Tookey has also been instrumental in lobbying for compensation for live organ donors and other regulatory improvements. His work includes numerous media campaigns, including a high-profile collaboration with film director Peter Jackson and the late Cameron Duncan, resulting in a TV advertisement that won Best TV Ad of the Year.
Personal life
[edit]Andy Tookey has been married to Janice for 33 years as of 2025. The couple met aboard the QE2, where Janice worked in the casino. They have three children: Brad, a policy advisor to the New Zealand government; Katie (now known as Asher), a graduate in on-screen acting; and Greg, a business student at university.
References
[edit]- ^ "Human Tissue (Organ Donation) Amendment Bill — First Reading". New Zealand Parliament. 3 May 2006.
- ^ "Parliament Throws out Binding Organ Donor Register". Scoop News. 8 November 2007.