Organ and tissue donation is a subject that Australian families rarely discuss around the dinner table.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But they should.
That’s because organ and tissue donation – according to the Australian Government Organ and Tissue Authority – has the ability to transform lives.
At any given time there are as many as 1500 Australians on waiting lists for organ and tissue transplants.
Last year, 378 organ donors gave 1117 Australians a second chance at life – the second best figures since national records began.
Put simply, the act of registering to become an organ donor offers hope to many others. One donor can help 10 or more people.
A cornea can restore the gift of sight, a kidney transplant can take people off regular dialysis and return them to a normal life without regular hospital visits.
A pancreas transplant can cure type 1 diabetes, and liver, heart and lung transplants save lives immediately.
Maitland residents are encouraged to talk about organ and tissue donation when they catch up with family this Easter long weekend.
In Australia, family members are always asked to confirm the organ and tissue donation decision of the deceased.
That’s why it’s important for all family members to know the wishes of their loved ones.
Statistics tell us that 94 per cent of family members who know the donation decisions of their loved ones would uphold these decisions.
If it’s something you’re passionate about, pop into the Beresfield Driver Reviver, on the roundabout at the intersection of the M1 and John Renshaw Drive, and pick up a DonateLife information pack.
