New Year’s resolution to give the Gift of Life

This New Year, AC T Health Minister, Katy Gallagher MLA, and Gift of Life President, Anne Cahill Lambert AM, are encouraging Canberrans to make a resolution to discuss organ donation with their families.

“Although 90 per cent of Australians support organ donation, only about 50 per cent of families give consent when faced with the difficult decision,” Ms Gallagher said.

“Many Australians are not aware that even if they are registered as an organ donor, their family will be asked to give consent for organ donation to proceed. That’s why it’s so important to discuss your wishes with your family,” she said.

Ms Cahill Lambert said the ACT had increased donation rates this year but Gift of Life was aiming to encourage more donations next year.

“This year we’ve had eight multi-organ donors (hearts, livers, kidneys etc) and more than 60 tissue donors (corneas, skin, heart values etc). Even skin is important, especially during the bushfire season when sadly a number of Australians require skin grafts,” Ms Cahill Lambert said.

Ms Gallagher said the ACT had significantly increased donations of corneal tissues this year with 56 donations to date.

The ACT was also moving towards implementing the National Reform Package and was working with the new Australian Organ and Tissue Donation Authority.

“The ACT Organ and Tissue Donation Service has been renamed DonateLife ACT and several additional staff positions have been created with funds from the reform package,” Ms Gallagher said.

“Dr Imogen Mitchell has been appointed the Territory Medical Director for Organ and Tissue Donation and Dr Greg Hollis, Deputy.

“ACT Health is now recruiting for a range of positions including a DonateLife Manager, a Nurse Educator, a Communications and Administrative Officer and an additional Organ Donor Coordinator.”

So this New Year, discover the facts about organ donation, decide what you’re going to do, and discuss your wishes with your loved ones and then become a DonateLife family at www.donatelife.gov.au .

30 December 2009