This year, DonateLife celebrates its 10th annual DonateLife Week – a national public awareness initiative that encourages all Australians to register as organ and tissue donors.
DonateLife Week 2021 runs through July and August, with a big push during Sunday 25 July to Sunday 1 August.
In the twelfth episode of Let’s Talk Organ and Tissue Donation, podcast host Michael Billings speaks to Dr Rohit D’Costa, State Medical Director at DonateLife Victoria, about why DonateLife is encouraging up to 100,000 more Australians to register as organ and tissue donors during DonateLife Week.
“At the moment there are around 1,800 Australians on the transplant waiting list,” says Dr D’Costa.
“So, for these patients – who are in many instances desperately unwell – they really need a chance at life. For some of them, it’s a matter of life and death.”
Dr D’Costa says DonateLife is asking all Australians to join the Great Registration Race, by inviting people to either register on the Australian Organ Donor Register, or their check their registration, as many people think they are registered, but aren’t.
He also talks about the effects that COVID-19 had on donation and transplantation in 2020; the enormous benefits that organ and tissue donation can have on people’s lives, and busts a few myths.
Dr D’Costa wants as many people as possible to get involved, saying, “We really need people to make that registration decision and have the conversation with their loved ones”.
More Australians are alive today because of organ and tissue donation.
To register as an organ and tissue donor, visit donatelife.gov.au – it only takes a minute; all you need is your Medicare card.
Stories of strength and resilience amid adversity are being showcased in the new podcast series produced by radio announcer Michael Billings and our DonateLife Victoria team.
The podcast is now available on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
