Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing Catherine King today announced $533,000 in Community Awareness Grants which will support 22 organisations to conduct community awareness and education events as part of DonateLife Week 2013.

DonateLife Week is the national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation and will take place from Sunday 24 February – Sunday 3 March 2013. The theme of DonateLife Week 2013 is 'Make your wish count. Discover, decide and discuss organ and tissue donation'.

Ms King said, "The DonateLife Week 2013 community events provide an excellent opportunity to reach out and engage with those Australians who may not yet have considered organ and tissue donation."

"DonateLife Week is also a timely reminder to all Australians, who have made the decision to donate life, of the need to ensure their loved ones know their decision. It's a time to remind your family about your wishes and make your wish count because in Australia the family will always be asked to confirm the donation wishes of the deceased.

The Community Awareness Grants are administered by the Organ and Tissue Authority as part of its Community Awareness and Education program to promote organ and tissue donation.

"The Community Awareness Grants provide an important opportunity for communities across Australia to get involved in promoting organ and tissue donation, and in doing so normalising decision-making and family discussion about the benefits of donation for transplantation.

The activities that will be undertaken during DonateLife Week 2013 include community walks, film competitions, sporting events, university outreach, engagement with Indigenous communities and information sessions with culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Ms King said, "We will be calling upon all Australians to make their wish count during DonateLife Week by registering their donation decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register and, most importantly, sharing that wish with family and close friends."

The full list of the 22 successful Community Awareness Grants recipients is at www.donatelife.gov.au .

ENDS/