A new podcast series released to coincide with NAIDOC week (held 3 - 10 July 2022) is encouraging First Nations Australians, and young males in particular, to get behind organ and tissue donation and start the important conversation.
First Nations Australians and young Australians are under-represented on the Australian Organ Donor Register.
Podshape Podcasting received a 2022 DonateLife Community Grant to do a 6-episode podcast series that explores organ donation through the stories and experiences of real-life donor families and organ transplant recipients, hosted by Ex-NRL player, Sam Thaiday.
Sam Thaiday played 29 games for Queensland, over 300 games for his club, the Brisbane Broncos, and 32 games for Australia. He is a well-respected member of the First Nation community with a strong social and podcast following – well placed to help spread the message about organ donation to the community.
“Across my whole career I’ve had lots of deep and meaningful conversations with friends, teammates, and family but the one conversation I have never had is one that’s really important,” said Sam.
“It’s the conversation that could literally save a life, it’s the conversation about organ donation. In this 6-part podcast series, I’m going to sit down with people who have received a life-saving organ donation.”
The series also includes incredibly moving conversations with people like Karina who have been so willing to share their stories. When her daughter, Sophie, sadly died at age 10, the family decided to donate her organs to help others. A life-giving decision that will have made such a difference to the lives of others.
Sam’s series also shares the experiences of other Australians who are either waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, or have had one, like Maddi who was born with cystic fybrosis and had acute liver failure at just 11 years of age. Maddi was given just six months to live, and is so thankful to have received a liver transplant. One day she may also require a kidney transplant.
Increasing awareness about organ and tissue donation, and encouraging families to talk about donation and registration, is vital to getting more people to say “yes” to donation.
Support and awareness raising activities through our community partners helps to share about the importance of organ donation — particularly in under-represented parts of our community including young Australians, First Nations Peoples, and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Australians —and show just how easy it is for people to register.
You can check out the full podcast series of A Gift Worth Giving, hosted by Sam Thaiday, on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
