Live Life, Give Life: Organ Donor Awareness Week

Live Life, Give Life: Fiona Coote urges Australians to sign on to save lives during Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week 2007

When Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week starts on Sunday 18 February 2007 one of the special things to celebrate is the bravery of Australia's deceased organ donor families. "Deceased donor families truly are heroes," said Fiona Coote, someone who is no stranger to the importance of organ donation, being Australia's youngest ever heart transplant recipient, having twice received a second chance at life. Fiona is the Lowan Healthy Balance ambassador during Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week 2007, as well as a strong supporter of LifeGift, who provide organ donation services through the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.

"It is the extraordinary generosity of deceased donors and their families who have given so many Australians a second chance to thrive and lead normal, healthy lives," Fiona said. "Even a generation ago, many lives were lost that now can be saved."

The key message being given to all Australians during this special week in February is that each and every one of us has the power to save lives.

LifeGift state manager, Trish Wills, said: "Our slogan is 'Live Life, Give Life' -- what you think, what you decide, what information you share with friends and family about organ and tissue donation will influence the number of lives that will be saved in the future."

Across the nation, Ms Wills said, Australians are 10 times more likely to be waiting for an organ than to become an organ donor. Approximately 1716 Australians are waiting for organ transplants, and a similar number await a tissue transplant. Ms Wills said that in an attempt to reduce the waiting list, LifeGift at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service is appealing to the public to consider the empowering nature of organ donation.

"Research shows that most families of organ donors get a strong sense of pride from the fact that a loved one saved the lives of others," said Ms Wills, who added that LifeGift also wants to dispel some of the myths surrounding donation.

"If people sign to become donors, hospitals will do everything they can to save their lives. Emergency workers and transplant staff at hospitals work separately to ensure that only deceased patients can be considered for donation."

During Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week, and throughout the year, Australians can become organ and tissue donors by following these basic steps:
o Tick the consent box on your driver's licence at the time of renewal.
o Enrol at the Australian Organ Donation Registry by calling 1800 777 203.
o Visit the Medicare Australia website and enrol online at medicareaustralia.gov.au
o Lastly, and most important of all, tell your family about your decision, because permission is requested from next of kin before donation can occur.

"Australians have the unique opportunity to make a decision that will live on long after they have gone," said Fiona Coote. "Every Australian can impact the lives of so many people: the person waiting for a transplant and their family, as well as the donor's family. It doesn't matter who you are or where you live, you can change our world by becoming an organ donor."

ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT ORGAN DONATION

LifeGift coordinates multi-organ and tissue donation in NSW, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania.

It is managed by the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and works in collaboration with all hospitals throughout those States and Territory to coordinate the retrieval and donation of organs and tissue for transplantation.

Australia has an organ retrieval rate and a transplant survival rate which is higher than the UK, the US, as well as many European countries. In some cases in Australia, one deceased person's organs can be used to save the life of up to 10 people.

Only 1% of all deaths in Australia are in circumstances which allow for organ donation.

You are 10 times more likely to need a transplant than to ever be in position to be an organ donor.

As of January 2006 there are approximately 1716 people waiting on organ transplant lists across Australia.

By the end of October 2006, 167 people had donated their organs, allowing 614 people to receive transplants.

The number of patients waiting nationally has increased by 3% from January 2004.

Average waiting periods for organs are: kidney transplant - 3.8 years / heart transplant - 2.2 years / pancreas - 1.7 years / liver transplant - 1.5 years / lung transplant - 1.2 years

The average age of organ donors in Australia last year was 42.7 years.

From 1989 until 2005, 40% of organ and tissue donors were female and 60% male.

Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) caused 48% of all organ donor deaths and road accidents caused 26%.