Harden and Jugiong residents urged to help end the wait 

for those in need of a life-saving transplant

This DonateLife Week (31 July – 7 August) Jugiong, Harden and surrounding districts will be urged to join the Australian Organ Donor Register online to help end the wait for those in need of a life-saving transplant.

Less than a third of Australian adults are on the national Donor Register, despite the majority of Australians being willing to donate. Registering your decision is important as it leaves your family in no doubt of your decision to save the lives of others.

In 2015, organ donation proceeded in 91% of cases where the deceased was a registered donor. This drops to just 52% if the deceased was not registered and the family had no prior knowledge of their wishes.

The theme for DonateLife Week 2016 is ‘What are you waiting for? Join the Australian Organ Donor Register online and discuss your donation decision with loved ones’. With more than 1,500 people waiting for a transplant, we need to optimise every donation opportunity to save more lives.

Jugiong and Harden residents are invited to attend the ‘What are you Waiting for?’ dinner on Sunday 31 July at the Gundagai District Services Club, to learn more about registering for organ donation from some truly inspirational people, including Gundagais MC and local special guest Bob Gilholme and Donor Specialist Nurse from Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Sarah Woolley.

Following the recent tragic loss of two young members of the Jugiong and Gundagai communities, and the gift of life, or improved quality of life, they provided to numerous others in need of a transplant, organ donation has struck a chord with our communities.

Education and awareness activities will continue during the week of DonateLife Week, throughout Jugiong, Gundagai and our surrounding areas.

The Australian Organ Donor Register (AODR) is the only national register to record your donation decision:

• You can register online or update your existing AODR record via your myGov

Medicare online account – or download the Express Plus Medicare mobile app – no

paperwork needed

• You can also register online or download a registration form at donorregister.gov.au

• If you previously registered your donation decision when applying for or renewing a

driver’s licence you need to join the AODR to make sure your details are current

(only South Australian residents can register via their driver’s licence registry).

DonateLife Week is Australia’s annual awareness week in support of organ and tissue donation and is led by the Organ and Tissue Authority.  We are asking the people of Harden and Jugiong to show their support during DonateLife Week by registering their donation decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register online at donatelife.gov.au

For more information about DonateLife Week visit donatelife.gov.au 

To RSVP to the ‘What are You Waiting For?’ dinner in Gundagai, contact Paula Butt on 0413 137 601

For more information about DonateLife Week nationally contact:

Johanna Waide, Media and Communications Officer, NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service 

E: johanna.waide@health.nsw.gov.au; 

P: 02 8566 1717

M: 0407 417 477

For more information about DonateLife Week locally contact:

Renee Lindley on 0416 285 262 or Michelle Hooper on 0408 413 154