DonateLife Week has been held this week with the Organ and Tissue Authority and Minister responsible for it calling on Australians to consider registering as organ and tissue donors.
The Minister, Mark Coulton said that with more than 1,400 people on the waiting list for a lifesaving transplant at any one time, and a further 11,000 on dialysis, more donors were needed.
“It’s important that we get as many people as possible to consider the benefits and understand that by registering, they may one day give the gift of life to a fellow Australian,” Mr Coulton said.
“Donors also need to make their wishes known to family and friends, as it will be those close to you who give the final consent for your organs and tissue to be donated.”
He said registering to become an organ and tissue donor had a direct influence on families saying yes to donation, with more than 90 per cent of families proceeding when their loved one was registered.
Chief Executive of the Organ and Tissue Authority, Lucinda Barry (pictured) said that while the majority of Australians supported organ donations, only one in three were registered.
“It’s not that people don’t want to be donors,” Ms Barry said, “the majority of Australians support organ and tissue donation.”
“Generally those who are not registered do want to but haven’t got around to it yet, or are willing to donate but are unsure how to do it,” she said.
“We have made registration a quick and easy process.”
She said registering was as easy as visiting donatelife.gov.au online for one minute: “All you need is your Medicare card,” she said.
DonateLife Week runs until next Sunday (4 August).
