Supporting organ donation and DonateLife campaign

DID you know you only need to take one minute to save a fellow Aussie’s life?

That’s the message news.com.au wants to get out with the Take A Minute, Save a Life campaign, a push for more Australians to become organ donors.

During DonateLife week from Sunday, July 29, to Sunday, August 5, news.com.au will share a series of inspiring stories to show how signing up to the national organ donor registry not only changes lives — it saves lives.

We are putting our support behind DonateLife Week to bust the myths around organ donation and the process that has stopped 70 per cent of Australians from registering, and to encourage more people to sign up to the Australian Organ Donor Register.

With 9 million readers on news.com.au each month, we want to use this audience to help bring about positive change on important issues.

Organ donation is something that can make a big difference in people’s lives but is not guaranteed for patients with life-threatening conditions.

This is partly because it is extremely rare to die in circumstances that make it possible for a donation to happen. Just 2 per cent of people who die in hospital do so in a way that allows them to donate.

Last year, the families of just 1093 people were asked to consider organ donation, a tiny fraction of the more than 100,000 Australians who die every year.

Of these only 510 went on to donate their organs.

Less than half of those on the waiting list were able to get a new organ and, sadly, 35 people died.

News.com.au believes this can be changed. Research shows most Australians support organ donation, but only 30 per cent have registered to do so.

We are putting our support behind DonateLife Week to bust the myths around organ donation and to encourage more people to sign up to the Australian Organ Donor Register.

Signing up is incredibly important because statistics show 90 per cent of families agreed to the donation going ahead if their loved one had registered. It’s crucial for people to tell their families about their registration as the donation won’t go ahead if they don’t agree.

Taking these small steps could make a big difference in someone’s life.

Sarah Joyce, 32, needs a kidney transplant after she contracted one of the most deadly strains of meningococcal disease and almost died.

“For pretty much the last two years I have been in and out of hospital for different reasons. I’ve had 21 operations,” she told news.com.au.

The Central Coast woman went from leading an independent and adventurous life to someone who became dependent on her parents to look after her.

“They amputated fingers and toes, I lost my spleen, my gall bladder and 80 per cent of my bowel,” she said.

“I had complete kidney failure and I’ve had ongoing issues."

Even though her life will never be the same again, Ms Joyce hopes a kidney transplant will allow her to stop dialysis and give her back some independence.

“It will give me a sense of normalcy back because — being my age, to be dependent on a machine, to sit there and be tied to a machine — it’s not a nice thing to go through,” she said.

“It literally takes a minute with your Medicare card to register.

“I don’t think people realise how simple it is to sign up and the amount of lives they can potentially save by doing that.”

During the week, news.com.au will highlight the stories of many families whose lives have been changed by someone’s generosity.

It’s hoped that Australians everywhere will Take a Minute, Save a Life.