At any given time, 1800 Australians are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Nadia Burkolter is one of many advocating for widespread organ donor registration this DonateLife Week. Photo: Nadia Burkolter.
Australians are big supporters of charity organisations and volunteer work. So why do we lag when it comes to organ donation?
There’s no better time to consider the answer than DonateLife Week, currently underway until 4 August.
Very few people (about 2 per cent) can become an organ donor when they die. One reason is that donors must die in a hospital where an intensive care unit or emergency department can keep their organs functioning until a transplant occurs.
In 2023, only 1500 of the 84,000 people who died in Australian hospitals fit this criteria. Of these, 793 families said yes to donation and 513 people became donors.
While the majority of Australians support organ and tissue donation, only one in three are registered to be a donor, despite the process being free and only taking one minute.
Agency manager for DonateLife ACT Nadia Burkolter has been a registered nurse for more than 20 years, working in the field of organ and tissue donation as a nursing coordinator since 2005. She believes everyone should have their donation wishes known when they reach the end of their life.
“At any given time, there are 1800 people in Australia waiting for an organ transplant to save their life, many more needing tissue donation and another 14,000 on dialysis who could benefit from a kidney transplant,” Nadia says.
“There simply aren’t enough registered donors to meet this demand, and the reason for this isn’t always obvious.
“For example, Canberrans are known as very health-literate, charitable people who love to volunteer their time, yet our organ and tissue donation numbers are some of the lowest in the country.”
Research by the Australian Organ and Tissue Authority suggests people may think they’re registered when they really aren’t – so if you think you’re on the list, it’s worth checking.
Michael Patten received his life-changing liver transplant in 2023 thanks to a registered organ donor. Photo: Michael Patten.
One of the most important roles of DonateLife Week is to educate the public on who is eligible to donate and what it actually looks like. Advocates such as Nadia are an invaluable resource working to dispel common myths that can turn prospective donors away.
“It doesn’t matter if you smoke, have a chronic health condition or think you’re too old. An 80-year-old’s liver could save the life of someone a lot younger and a lot sicker.
“One registered person could provide life for up to seven others. So please, if you want to become an organ donor, put your name on the registry and let the health professionals worry about whether or not you’re eligible if the time comes.”
Once registered, it’s important to have an open conversation with your family to make your wishes known.
“Over the last 20-odd years, I’ve spent a lot of time with the families of those who wished to donate their tissue and organs when the time came,” Nadia says.
“It’s never an easy conversation to have, especially during a time of such grief, but the decision is easier to make when they know your wishes ahead of time.
“It won’t erase the pain of your loss, but it can bring your family comfort and a sense of pride to know their loved one has gone on to help others.”
Anyone in Australia aged 16 and over can register on the Australian Organ Donor Register. It only takes one minute. Register as an organ donor today, and you could one day change the lives of up to seven people.
Already registered? Visit Donate Life’s supporters hub for ideas on how you can help share its life-saving registration and conversation message.
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