For the next six weeks Australians will find themselves being encouraged to discuss their wishes about organ and tissue donation with their nearest and dearest.
A new national advertising campaign commenced on Sunday, 23 May. The focus of the campaign encourages families to talk about donation, with the tagline: ‘To donate life, discuss it today – OK’.
It’s a message that the Eurobodalla Renal Support Group wants us to take seriously.
The Group has officially endorsed the new DonateLife national advertising campaign, which was launched by the Prime Minister, and it is urging local residents to get behind the campaign too.
According to Brad Rossiter who foundered the Group with his wife Lorae, the biggest hurdle to increasing Australia’s organ and tissue donation rate is the issue of family consent.
“When it comes to donation, one in two Australians don’t know the wishes of their family members and one in three Australians don’t realise that their family’s consent is always required for donation to proceed.
“If all Australians knew the wishes of those close to them, we would have a much higher family consent rate and we could save more lives.”
Rossiter was a butcher by trade and is forever grateful to the family who agreed to organ donation three years ago and gave him a second chance at life.
“That individual gave me a gift. The Gift I received was a kidney and pancreas Transplant that has given me my life back,” he said.
Last week Brad was invited to a morning tea to launch Kidney Health Week with the Governor-General of Australia Ms Quentin Bryce AC at Admiralty House, Kirribilli NSW.
Rossiter acknowledges that broaching the topic of organ and tissue donation with loved ones can be difficult and believes the new campaign will go a long way towards normalising the conversation.
“I encourage anyone who hasn’t had the discussion with those close to them to do it today.
“Not only is it ‘OK’ – it’s very important.”
The Eurobodalla Renal Support Group is a key contributor to Australia’s new DonateLife Network, which is dedicated to increasing organ and tissue donation rates in Australia to save more lives.
To tie-in with the new campaign and in support of Kidney Health Australia the Eurobodalla Renal Support Group will be at the Bridge Plaza, Batemans Bay from 9.30am to 3.30pm on 2, 4, 11 and 16th of June.
The first phase of the DonateLife mass media campaign will run until June 30, 2010. For further information on organ and tissue donation and how your family can become a DonateLife family visit: Discuss organ donation
For media enquires:
Eurobodalla Renal Support Group
Phone: (02) 44728074
Mobile: 0458534470
