Peter - donor, VIC

When Rebecca lost her husband Peter suddenly, her life was turned upside-down in an instant.  

Her superhero – as she and their two young daughters Isabella and Ava affectionately call him – was only 40 and the love of their lives. 

A rare genetic heart condition saw Peter’s health deteriorate rapidly. Rebecca says they always knew that one day he would need a heart transplant. Tragically, Peter’s health declined faster than expected, and he died before he would ever be placed on the waitlist.    

“We ended up in hospital hoping he might become a transplant recipient, and as fate would have it, he ended up becoming a donor,” says Rebecca.   

When it came to consenting to organ donation, Rebecca says there was no question about the decision. She knew that’s what Peter would have wanted. 

Through the incredible gift of organ donation, Peter saved three lives.   

“You need to have that conversation with your loved ones,” says Rebecca.  

“If you’re in that situation on either end, knowing what your loved one would have wanted can help make a really traumatic time a little bit easier.”  

“Pete simply loved life. He loved being around his family and friends, travelling, and doing things,” she says. 

“He’d walk into a room, and he’d captivate everyone with his stories and make people laugh. That has helped us carry on, because he wouldn’t want us to have anything less than that in our lives.”   

“We can all help simply by talking to family and registering to become an organ and tissue donor. It could prevent a family from losing their loved one and there is some comfort in knowing that.”