Soapbox

Organ donation - the facts you need to know

Dec 13 01:31pm

At Sunrise we are continuing to follow up a question we have been asking for months. It's an issue close to Kochie's heart, and it's literally close to all our hearts.

It's also something that His Excellency, Governor General Michael Jeffrey, cares deeply about.

Organ donation.

Why is it that in Australia we have only around 200 deceased donors each year – one of the lowest donor rates in the developed world?

ShareLife is a foundation dedicated to chasing this answer as well. And to help us all make informed decisions, ShareLife has developed a fact sheet to aid families in the discussion of organ donation.

With some new material, ShareLife is taking the facts to families so they can all make the right decision if the time should ever arrive.

Donating organs is a generous gift and can become a lifeline, often the only salvation possible, for the critically ill.

All of the facts being shared by ShareLife are in the PDF (download it below), but here are a couple everyone needs to know.

• FACT: Transplant operations are no longer medical miracles. Transplants are now highly successful, cost-effective treatments with success rates of greater than 90%.
• FACT: Australia’s transplant rate is well below many other developed counties.
We are only half as likely to receive a transplant as citizens of many other
western countries such as Austria, Belgium, France, Spain and the USA.
• FACT: Right now, there is no certainty you, or your family will receive a transplant if you need one.

More info

ShareLife Australia

Sharelife factsheet (PDF)

Organ Donation crisis - a new plan

Preston James Research Fund Download PDF

Please pass on these details to others, discussing them with your family and friends.

You can also leave your comments below or send your stories to the soapbox

Here is a recent email:
My question is why, after signing the organ donor
form and it being witnessed by your ID, can your family overrule your
wishes after your death? Why is it not a legally binding document ? Thanks

13 Comments Report Abuse

1. montrice.cooper - Dec 13 07:41am

There is a urban myth about organ donation that if you tick yes on your license ad if you are on the operating table about to die after an accident etc but can be brought back to live that they will just let you die for your organs because they can save a handful of lives with just one life.

2. easy_off_bam - Dec 13 07:41am

what happens if you are pretty sick in hospital and your family knows you can hang on longer but because the doctors want a organ donation how do you know that their not going to say that it's worse then it is or even hurry thins along a little bit just to make sure that they get an organ donation.

3. r.colless - Dec 13 08:40am

I have always let my family know how I have felt about organ donation. I also have 4 children ranging from 10yrs to 7mths. From the age of about 4 and up I have always talked to the kids in a open way about donating their organs if it ever came to that. We talk about the people who would get them and why they need them. My eldest has said he would not want to loose any of his but my 4 and 6 yr olds think that it would be a wonderful gift to give. I have hope that it will never have to be do

4. aimee.garland - Dec 13 08:48am

My partner is always wanting me to tick the yes box for organ donation but I would want to know that my organ is going to a child or someone who has not abused their body through doing drugs or smoking. Because no doubt they will probably take it for granted, and abuse their body and the organ that was donated to them. This is what concerns me about organ donation.

5. rcawth - Dec 13 05:43pm

The law needs to be changed about organ donation. It matters not if you are registered. If one and only ONE relative objects, your organs cannot be retrieved. In addition, there are very strict criteria on who can donate. Prospective donors are not kept 'alive' or allowed to die for the purpose of organ retrieval. The criteria involves confirming the total absence of brain activity (brain death), over a specific period of time, and not just once, by medical professionals, not connected to the

6. beckyharper987 - Dec 13 09:41pm

I want to know how safe it is for me to donate my organs to an ill/vulnerable person. I can't donate blood as I lived in England during the mad cow crisis. Are my organs 'clean' enough to give to someone else who is probably not very healthy?

7. walterstania57 - Dec 15 09:42pm

I gave a kidney to my cousing two years ago and it is one of my biggest personal achievement. Seeing her healthy and well after being so ill, is so rewarding, no amount of success or money can achieve that. I also want to say that the surgeon, doctors and staff at the Royal Melbourne Hospital were absolutely fantastic.

8. shelltaz - Dec 20 03:38pm

Before jumping to conclusions about doctors not saving someone who can be saved just to retrieve their organs, how about gaining some knowledge and seek the RIGHT answers and IGNORE the myths! If you're concerned about the process, research it. Narrow mindedness only keeps our low organ rate down.

9. sillywillits - Jan 27 09:44am

I have kidney failure. I am lucky to have a husband who can donate - 2008 will be a big year for us. I think that it is so disgusting that we live in a modern world with modern medicine and yet many of the community are ignorant about how vital organ donation is. What if your mum needed an organ?

10. cripps_l - Feb 14 09:26pm

As a donor co-ordinator for 7 years there are a few more points you need to ponder. Are you aware only 1% of all deaths are potential donors. Of these 1%, people are excluded from donating due to many medical reasons.Donor families ARE generous, I've never met a family that wern't prepared to give.

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