Start the Conversation Around Organ Donation this DonateLife Week

Port Macquarie lung transplant recipient Marty Sheehan had already begun organising his own funeral when he was told a donor had been found.

The former electrician had pulmonary fibrosis caused by workplace exposure to asbestos, and his health was failing fast.

Not surprisingly, Marty is now a strong advocate for people registering to donate their organs and tissue and he’s keen to raise awareness. This is especially so during DonateLife Week, which runs from 26 July to 2 August.

“Every signature I can get is directly related to my lung donor,” says Marty. “He could ultimately be responsible for saving hundreds of lives.”

While many people support organ donation, only one in three is registered to donate. People who previously indicated their willingness to donate on their NSW driver licence often don’t realise the option was removed in 2012.

Mid North Coast Local Health District Donation Specialist Nurse, Anne Judd, works for the NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service. She urges people to talk to family and friends about donation.

“People often tend to shy away from having conversations about donation,” says Ms Judd. “It’s not always about registering to become a donor, it’s about having your wishes respected and making informed decisions. There’s no better way to do this than registering with the Australian Organ Donor Register.”

In 2019 there were 548 donors across the nation. About 1,700 Australians are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

Visit donatelife.gov.au to find out more and to register to donate. You can also register online at the Australian Organ Donor Register or download a printed form to complete. The form is also available at Australian Government service centres.

CAPTION: Mid North Coast Local Health District Donation Specialist Nurse Anne Judd with Marty Sheehan, a single lung transplant recipient from Port Macquarie.