Donate Life week ends on Sunday 1 August, but the Great Registration Race continues in a bid to sign up more Australians as organ donors.

Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie has thrown her support behind the race, encouraging Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island residents to join in.

“If nothing else, COVID has demonstrated our willingness to work together for the health of our community. But one health issue often overlooked is organ donation,” she says.

“This week is Donate Life Week, raising awareness of organ donation. While nine out of 10 Australians support organ donation, only one in three has actually registered. 

“There are 1,800 Australians on the waiting list for an organ transplant and a further 1,200 on dialysis who could benefit from a kidney transplant. 

“Registering only takes a minute and anyone over the age of 16 can sign up. Even if you think you're registered, checking could save a life.”

At the start of Great Registration Race the federal government announced more than $3 million in Donate Life Partnerships and community grants to help urge more Australians to sign on.

The Minister responsible for the Organ and Tissue Authority, Dr David Gillespie, says there are around 13 million Australians aged 16+ who are eligible to register as organ and tissue donors – but haven’t.

“Engaging with a broad suite of national partners and community groups across the country helps drive the importance of organ donation into more Australian homes, leading to greater registration and increased donation.

“The Great Registration Race for Donate Life Week is about turning this around and encouraging more Australians to register as organ and tissue donors,” he says.

“Increasing awareness about organ and tissue donation and encouraging families to talk about donation and registration, is vital to getting more people to say “yes” to donation. 

“For some of the 1,800 Australians currently on the organ transplant waitlist, it’s a matter of life and death.”

For more information head to the Donate Life register. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay