The Ultimate Gift
In life we all have hopes and expectations of what life will be like in the future.
Bushfires changed this for many people, COVID-19 changed this and so can a life threatening illness.
There are illnesses that can irreversibly damage and destroy organs within our body where medicine can’t help but an organ transplant can.
In Australia, there are over 1600 patients waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. The untimely death of a single person can help up to 10 people with the donation of their organs and tissues.
This may all seem a bit macabre, talking about allowing your organs to be taken after you die but there are many people who could benefit from your gift.
The organs that can be transplanted include the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas and also tissue including heart valves, veins and bone.
Within Australia over 70 per cent of the people are willing to become an organ donor yet only about 30 per cent have registered this with Medicare.
This low registration rate is due to the fact we all need to register via Medicare rather than our driver’s licence, which changed some years ago.
So how can we register as an organ donor?
- Call 1800 777 203 to have a registration form to be posted to you.
- Download the form from the internet and post back to Medicare
- Pop into a Medicare office and ask one of the friendly staff
- Register online via www.donatelife.gov.au
- Login to your MyGov app and enter Medicare section.
There are many options to register and the process is easy and quick. It just requires a few minutes of your time.
More importantly, let your family know of your wishes. The unexpected death of a loved one is one of the most traumatic times within a family’s life. Being asked permission to utilise your organs during this time makes the decision much easier for your family if they know your wishes.