This week is DonateLife Week, and it is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of organ donation. In support of the campaign, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing Catherine King says more must be done to remove barriers to discussing organ donation with young people.

"Young adults aged 18 to 29 years are still experiencing barriers to discussing and deciding about organ and tissue donation. These barriers include misplaced concerns that doctors won’t work as hard to save their lives," says Ms. King. "DonateLife Week provides an opportunity for young adults, and for all Australians, to sit down and talk openly about their wishes regarding organ and tissue donation. Every family needs to ask and know each other’s donation wishes because donation will not proceed without the family’s confirmation of the deceased’s wishes."

According to research commissioned by the Organ and Tissue Authority, as many as 40% of people in the 18-to-29 age bracket think their families would not want them to become organ and tissue donors; nevertheless, as many as 84% are motivated to become donors by the chance to save a life. 

One of the major barriers continues to be a lack of discussion among family members about donation wishes. "There is much more to be done to not only sustain but build on the increases in donation outcomes in Australia. During DonateLife Week, we can all play our part and have a conversation with our loved ones that could one day save a life," says Ms. King.