Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP is encouraging everyone in Bonner to register as an organ and tissue donor and encourage others to also sign up DonateLife Week 2020.

DonateLife Week is Australia’s national awareness week dedicated to promoting organ and tissue donation.

Held from July 26 to August 2, DonateLife Week encourages all Australians to register to be an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au to have the opportunity to one day change lives.

“An organ transplant doesn’t just save lives, it gives families back their mother, father, sibling, or child,” Mr Vasta said.

“Registering to be a donor online is easy and takes less than a minute.”

Traditionally, DonateLife Week is celebrated with community events across Australia, however with social distancing restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an enhanced digital campaign will be run this year.

The campaign will feature the stories of donor families, recipients and others touched by organ and tissue donation to demonstrate the huge impact being a donor can have on fellow Australians.

“With 1700 Australians currently wait listed for a transplant, and a further 12,000 on dialysis, we can do more to save lives and make a difference,” Mr Vasta said.

“I encourage everyone to throw their support behind this campaign and talk to your friends, family, colleagues and sporting or community group about registering as an organ and tissue donor.”

You can show your support online by sharing information about donation through social media using the campaign hashtag #DonateLifeWeek and following @DonateLife on Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you to all donors and their families who have generously consented to organ or tissue donation. Visit donatelife.gov.au for more information and to register as an organ donor.

Newly released organ donation outcomes showed organ transplants saved the lives of 1683 Australians last year from 787 organ donors.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said data released by the Organ and Tissue Authority showed innovative programs between countries had given patients a second chance.

“The Australian and New Zealand Kidney Exchange Program provided 49 out of the 239 living kidney transplants to occur in 2019,” Mr Vasta said.

“Exchange programs like this allows residents of either country to have access to vital life-saving transplants and expands the availability of viable organs and donors.”

The 2019 data also showed a decrease in organ donations if families of a potential donor were not aware of a loved one’s wishes about organ donation.

“Nine out of 10 families agree to a donation when their loved-one is registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register,” Mr Vasta said.

“The rate falls to six out of 10 when families are unaware of the potential donor’s wishes about organ donation.

“It is important to talk to family and friends about what you want to do with your organs if one day you’re not able to make that decision.

“The best thing Australians can do is jump online and join to Donor Register to help save lives.”

For more information visit www.donatelife.gov.au.