For Donor Families
Donor families
The OTA and DonateLife Network thank the generous Australians and their families who save and transform the lives of others through the gift of organ and tissue donation.
Donor Family Support Services
In Australia donor families are provided with support through the National Donor Family Support Service. This service provides nationally consistent support that is respectful and responsive to the needs of each family.
Donor Family Support Coordinators are located in each state and territory DonateLife Agency. The Donor Family Support Coordinator provides information and assistance to support donor families after donation.
In the first month following donation, the DonateLife Donor Coordinator and/or the Donor Family Support Coordinator provide donor families with an information pack which includes support services available to them in their state or territory and anonymous details about the recipients.
If they wish, families receive ongoing support and are sent invitations to attend DonateLife Service of Remembrance held annually in their state or territory.
Read more about the National Donor Family Support Service
Donor Family Support Resources
The OTA, in partnership with the DonateLife Network, has produced a range of resources to support donor families. Some of these resources are also available in 18 languages to facilitate access to these important resources to families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Find out more about our Donor Family Support Resources
National Wave 1 Donor Family Study
The OTA conducted a national study of family experiences of organ and tissue donation for transplantation. The study collected a wealth of information on the family’s experience from early interactions with hospital and DonateLife staff and initial donation conversations through to the follow up support provided to families after a donation decision was made.
Read more about the National Wave 1 Donor Family Study
Living Donation
A living organ donor is someone who donates a kidney or partial liver to another person; usually a relative or close friend who has end stage kidney disease or liver failure.
The Australian Government is conducting a two-year pilot which began on 1 July 2013 and ends on 30 June 2015, to support leave for living organ donors.
Find out more about living donation
Australian Paired Kidney Exchange Programme
The Australian Paired Kidney Exchange (AKX) Programme is an initiative of the OTA to increase the options for living kidney donation.
Find out more information about the AKX Programme
