An important week

DONATELIFE WEEK 24 FEBRUARY – 3 MARCH 2013
MAKE YOUR WISH COUNT. DISCOVER, DECIDE AND DISCUSS ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION.

Did you know that around 1% of all hospital deaths occur in the specific circumstances where a person can be considered for organ donation?

1 in 2 Australians do not know that few of us will actually have the chance to become an organ donor, although many more can become tissue donors. When people become aware of this fact, the overwhelming majority (84%) are more motivated to decide they would like to become a donor.

As an organ and tissue donor, you could transform the lives of 10 or more people. But to make your wish count, we all need to discover the facts about organ and tissue donation and to register our decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register.

And to make every wish count, every Australian family needs to know each other’s wishes. This is because in Australia the family of every potential donor is always asked to confirm the donation wishes of their loved one before organ and/or tissue donation can proceed.
During DonateLife Week, Sunday 24 February – Sunday 3 March 2013, take some time to share your wish with your family and close friends, and ask them about their wishes.

Although 77% of Australians have now talked about organ and tissue donation with their family, and 71% of people believe that their family knows their donation wishes, only 56% of Australians say that they know the donation wishes of their loved ones. This highlights the need for all Australians to remind their family members’ about their donation wishes as well as to ask and know the wishes of family members.

DonateLife Week is Australia's national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation. It is led by the Organ and Tissue Authority as part of the national DonateLife campaign and supported by community events and activities across Australia.
For more information www.donatelife.gov.au

And if I didnt say it eloquently enough- here's someone who can possibly say it better!  Visiting her made what could be a difficult conversation a bit easier with a naturally curious child (who will happily explain to her friends who go 'yuk' that it's better than dying!). 

And if you can, check out the photography exhibition Cam encouraged us all to enter! Cant't wait to go and see it myself! I'm taking the tissues....