Urgent plea for organ donors as numbers drop during COVID

Mackay DonateLife ambassador: ‘Just because you smoke or drink like a fish, does not mean that you are ineligible’

There is an urgent call for more people to register as organ donors as COVID-19 extends its grip to those needing a miracle for a second chance at life.

National organ donation and transplant data released on Monday shows there were 16 per cent fewer organ donors, as well as a 12 per cent drop in transplant recipients, throughout 2020 compared to the year before.

Mackay lung transplant recipient Maree Martin said it was "terribly important" for people to nominate to donate their organs.

"Of 100 people who sign up, only two are maybe suitable for organ donation," the DonateLife ambassador said.

"It doesn't matter how many people die, you need to die the right way, which sounds really terrible I know."

Ms Martin said it took 30 seconds to register via donatelife.gov.au

"All they want is your name, your date of birth and your Medicare card; that's all that's required," she said.

"And just because you smoke or drink like a fish, does not mean that you are ineligible to become a donor.

"That's something that we get a lot.

"People will say they have a bad heart … but we can use their kidneys.

"Let doctors decide your organs are not suitable."

 

Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton said the nation's donation rate, although it had doubled over the past decade, had taken a hit from COVID.

This included 153 fewer renal patients receiving kidney transplants.

"Australians from all walks of life faced great challenges and adversity in 2020 and those waiting for life-changing organ transplants were no different," Mr Coulton said.

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But he said the generosity of 463 deceased organ donors and their families saved 1270 Australian lives.

"Around 1650 Australians are (still) waitlisted for a transplant and more than 12,000 others are on dialysis - many of whom may need a kidney transplant," Mr Coulton said.

"The best chance we have to address the challenge of a longer waitlist is to have more Australians say 'yes' to donation."

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Organ and Tissue Authority CEO Lucinda Barry said kidney transplants were suspended from late-March to mid-May last year as a precautionary measure, while heart, lung, liver and paediatric transplants were able to continue for critically-ill patients.

"To minimise the impacts, our DonateLife teams worked hard with transplant teams to navigate the challenges facing hospitals and with logistics - including with COVID-19 restrictions, flight reductions and border closures - so that patients received the best possible outcomes," Ms Barry said.

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