Cup of coffee can save lives during Donate Life Week

The Great Registration Race poster encourages people to sign up and donate their organs.

In the time it takes you to down a coffee, you could save a life.

To mark Donate Life Week 2021, which runs until Sunday August 1, Gift of Life Inc is joining forces with DonateLife in the Great Registration Race and in the time it takes you to order and drink a coffee in many of the cafes around the national capital, you can register to become an organ donor.

Today, more than 1800 Australians are on the organ transplant waiting list – a life or death period that could well change lives and there are an additional 12,000 people on dialysis who may benefit from a kidney transplant.

Donate Life Week organisers are keen to spread the message – if you want to be an organ donor tell your family and friends. Not only will that knowledge help decision-making during a tough time, it may also encourage other people to join the cause and save even more lives.

Many cafes in Canberra have already signed up to support the campaign but more are needed. If you own or work in a coffee shop and want to help DonateLife raise awareness of the important issue it’s not too late. Just emailact@giftoflife.asn.au and the special stickers for takeaway coffee cups and posters will be delivered. They all contain a QR code which will take the coffee drinkers straight to the DonateLife Australian Organ Donation Registration page.

Some of the capital’s most well-known monuments will also shine a light on this important cause. Telstra Tower, Questacon, the National Museum, Malcolm Fraser Bridge and Old Parliament House will all be lit up in magenta, along with the National Carillon.

Donate Life flags will also be flown along the Kings Avenue Bridge and Transport Canberra’s light rail and bus drivers will also rally to the cause by wearing DonateLife hats.

The ACT Government is also on board with hospitals, health centres and libraries also helping to promote the cause.

For more information go to the Organ Donor Register at https://www.donatelife.gov.au/join-register