Organ Donation

How you can save a life in a minute

Are you one of the millions of Australians who have registered as an organ or tissue donor? If so, well done!

If not, why not celebrate DonateLife Week 2020 by clicking here and registering as a donor today. It takes only a minute and all you need is your Medicare card.

“We encourage all Australians to register to be an organ and tissue donor, and to talk about it with their family and friends,” says Lucinda Barry, the CEO of the Organ and Tissue Authority.

“Becoming an organ donor is one of the most generous acts a person and their families can do – giving the gift of life to a person who is likely to die without a transplant.”

By registering, you will be helping the authority to meet its target of adding six million people to the register.

Here are five things to think about as you celebrate DonateLife Week:

Lead by example: Tell your friends and family that you have registered and explain how simple it is. Then encourage them to do the same.

Tell your family: Your family will have the final say on whether your organs and tissue can be donated. A main reason families decline is that they simply don’t know what their loved one wanted.

Most religions support donation: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism support organ and tissue donation. Click here to find out more.

There’s only one register: State-based driver’s licence donor registries no longer exist and you need to join the Australian Organ Donor Register.

Don’t be a bystander: Most Australians believe it’s important to be a donor, but many have not registered. This means that the thousands of people on organ waitlists could miss out on a life-saving opportunity.

Visit the Organ and Tissue Authority website for more information.