People in NSW are being encouraged to consider organ donation and have conversations with their family about their decision this DonateLife Week.
There are approximately 1,800 people currently on the organ transplant waitlist in Australia, with 14,000 more on dialysis for kidney failure who need help.
In 2023, more than 47,000 people in NSW registered as an organ and tissue donor. There were 142 people in NSW who died and became organ donors, giving the gift of life to 392 transplant recipients, including 12-year-old Osman Akel.
Life saving stories
Osman was diagnosed with congenital heart disease while in utero and needed three heart operations before he was five. Last year, Osman went into heart failure and his family were told he needed a heart transplant to save his life.
Osman became the first patient to undergo a paediatric heart transplant at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead since the Paediatric Heart Transplant (PHT) service was officially established and funded by the government in 2023.
Osman is now back at school and doing well.
Five-year-old Ari Ladd’s life was also saved by organ donation after receiving a lifesaving liver transplant at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in 2020. Ari was born with biliary atresia, a condition that impacts the body’s ability to drain the bile from the liver. The energetic toddler is now happy and healthy, enjoying his new lease on life
As the biggest paediatric liver transplant centre in Australia, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead performs around 25 lifesaving liver transplants for patients like Ari every year.
Sadly, more than 50 Australians died last year while on the organ transplant waitlist.
Family conversations crucial
Families are always asked to support someone’s decision to be a donor before donation goes ahead. Families are much more likely to agree if their loved one is registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register, and their family knew they wanted to be a donor.
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said, ‘Organ donation saves lives and increasing awareness and consent is critical to lifting our donation rate. We encourage NSW residents to go online and pledge to give the gift of life to those in need.
‘Opportunities for transplants are missed because families are uncertain of their loved one’s wish to be a donor. It is important for people in NSW to not only register, but to tell their families they want to be a donor.
‘We know 4 in 5 Australians say they support donation but only 36 per cent are registered. It only takes one minute to register and give more people like Osman and Ari the gift of life.’
Not enough donors
Elena Cavazzoni, DonateLife NSW Co-State Medical Director, said ‘Our dedicated organ donation teams across NSW work tirelessly to maximise every opportunity to save a life through transplant. But there simply aren’t enough donors in NSW to match the waitlist.
‘This DonateLife Week, I’m urging everyone in NSW to please register as an organ and tissue donor.’
Dr Joanne Ging, Director of Clinical Operations at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, said ‘We are proud to celebrate the first anniversary of our Paediatric Heart Transplant service and to welcome our new cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Johann Brink, to the service. Across Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, we are now able to perform liver, kidney and heart transplants for some of the sickest children in the state.
‘Organ donation is critical in allowing our teams to perform these lifesaving transplants. We simply wouldn’t be able to offer these services if it weren’t for the generosity of the community and their loved ones at such a tragic time in their lives.
‘For Osman and Ari, their transplant has given them a new lease on life, and that is an incredible thing to see.’
Powerful reminder
Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis said, ‘Today is a powerful reminder about the importance of signing up to be an organ donor and I’m honoured to meet with some of the families whose lives have been changed by organ donation.
‘For someone who is seriously ill, an organ or tissue transplant can mean the difference between life and death, being healthy or sick, seeing or being blind.
‘One organ donor can save the lives of up to 7 people and help many more through eye and tissue donation,’ said Ms Davis.
Anyone aged 16 and over can register online to become an organ donor in just one minute at donatelife.gov.au, or with three taps in the Medicare app. For those who think they’re already registered, it only takes one minute to double-check.
