A record of your decision

The Australian Organ Donor Register (the Donor Register) is the only national register for people to record their decision about becoming an organ and tissue donor for transplantation after death.

The Donor Register ensures a person's donation decision can be verified 24 hours a day, seven days a week by authorised personnel anywhere in Australia. In the event of a person's death, information about their donation decision, accessed from the Donor Register by authorised personnel, can be provided to the family of the deceased.

Recording your decision on the Donor Register is voluntary and you have complete choice over which organs and tissues you wish to donate. If you don't want to become an organ and tissue donor, you can register your decision not to donate on the Donor Register.

The Donor Register is not for registering decisions about donating organs and tissue for scientific research purposes or for the manufacture of biological medical products. For information regarding these processes, contact your local state health department.

To register to become an organ and tissue donor:

• visit donorregister.gov.au to register online

• call 1800 777 203

• visit a Medicare Service Centre

Your local GP may also have registration forms. You must be 16 years or older to register your organ donation decision on the register.

Even if you have previously registered your decision elsewhere (for example by ticking a box on your driver’s licence renewal) it is still important that you register on the Australian Organ Donor Register as it is the only national register and details can be linked to your Medicare number.

To find out more, including your current status on the Australian Organ Donor Register, call Medicare Australia on 1800 777 203 or visit your local Medicare office.

To indicate you are an organ and tissue donor on your Facebook Timeline:

You can now indicate that you are a registered organ and tissue donor on your Facebook Timeline.

To do this:

• Go to your Facebook Timeline
• Click on "Life Event"
• Select "Health and Wellness" and choose "organ donor"
• You can select which of your Facebook friends you want to receive this information by activating the appropriate privacy setting.

If you have not registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register, make sure that you do. The Australian Organ Donor is the only national register and registering your decision with them means that your donation decision can be verified 24 hours a day, seven days a week by authorised medical personnel, anywhere in Australia.

Most importantly you need to discuss your organ and tissue donation wishes with your family as your family will always be asked to confirm your donation wishes before donation for transplantation can proceed.

When you decide to become an organ donor you can also decide to become an eye and tissue donor. Eye and tissue donors can donate eye, heart and muscoskeletal tissue, skin and pancreas islets. Eye and tissue donors can benefit dozens of people in need.