Sunshine Coast Health and DonateLife Queensland are urging residents to pull on a sports jersey this Friday, to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation.
National ‘Jersey Day’ is a legacy of teenager Nathan Gremmo who donated his organs and tissues in 2015 at the age of just 13, saving the lives of six people.
Sunshine Coast Donation Specialist Nurse Kirsty Caley said Jersey Day was the perfect ‘casual Friday’ and a great way to encourage your workmates to join the Australian Organ Donor Register.
“We know more than 80 percent of Queenslanders are supportive of organ and tissue donation, yet only 31 percent have officially registered that decision,” she said.
“Jersey Day is a great opportunity to tap your colleagues on the shoulder and ask them if they’ve registered as an organ and tissue donor.”
Registering is easy, it only takes one minute of your time, and your Medicare card at donatelife.gov.au or 3 taps on your MyGov app.
“With around 1,800 Australians waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, and thousands more on dialysis who one day may need a kidney donation, it’s more important than ever to register and to tell your family,” Kirsty said.
“One organ donor can save the lives of up to 7 people and change the lives of many more through eye and tissue donation.”
Key messages:
- We want all Australians to register as organ and tissue donors and be the reason someone else gets a second chance at life.
- We know that 4 in 5 Australians say they support donation, but only 1 in 3 (36%) are registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register (AODR).
- There are currently around 1,800 Australians on the organ waitlist and 14,000 more on dialysis for kidney failure who need Australia’s help.
- Sadly, more than 50 Australians died last year while on the organ transplant waitlist.
- Transplant recipients come from different backgrounds, and experience different health issues, but they’re united in their gratitude for donors and their families.
- Your family will always be asked to support your decision before organ donation goes ahead. They are much more likely to agree if they know you want to be a donor.
- Around 8 in 10 families say yes to donation when you are registered, but this drops to 4 in 10 when they don’t know your wishes.
- One organ donor can save the lives of up to 7 people and change the lives of many more through eye and tissue donation.
Call to action:
- It only takes one minute to register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au or with 3 taps on your Express Plus Medicare app.
- Don’t forget to tell your family you want to be a donor – someone's life depends on it.