2018 – Pauline Ley, Founding Member of VANISH, receives an Order of Australia Medal

For five decades, Pauline has been an inspirational and respected leader in the adoption and donor conception communities in Australia and overseas. Pauline was a determined and dedicated advocate for changing Victorian laws to enable people separated through adoption to access their records. Pauline was then involved in the establishment of VANISH including being on the Committee of Management and co-facilitating the Adoptee Support Group for many years. 

Pauline was also aware of parallel issues in donor conception, with those affected experiencing secrecy, lack of access to personal records and family history, shame, feelings of loss and a lack of support services. In 1979, Pauline (with Meredith Lenne, a fellow adoptee) wrote a ground-breaking open letter to the three Victorian hospital fertility clinics calling for donor conceived persons to have the right to information about their genetic history, for the maintenance of comprehensive records, and for counselling of people affected.

Pauline is a compassionate and courageous leader who has inspired and empowered so many. VANISH congratulates Pauline on this well-deserved recognition.