Dear DonateLife team,
As I prepare to conclude my time as Chief Executive Officer of the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA), I have been reflecting on the incredible people, partnerships and achievements that have defined the past 9 years. It feels especially fitting that some of my final weeks in the role have been spent with so many of the DonateLife team at the 2026 DonateLife Symposium, where I had the opportunity to connect and reminisce with colleagues and friends from across Australia and the Commonwealth.
The symposium was a valuable reminder of the strength, expertise and dedication that exists in our program, and to reflect on how far we have come together. That same weekend, I was also proud to join transplant recipients, donor families, living donors, healthcare professionals and supporters at Transplant Australia's Thank You Walk around Darling Harbour, as part of the TTS 2026. Seeing hundreds of people come together in gratitude and celebration of the life-changing impact of donation and transplantation was both inspiring and deeply moving.
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Lucinda Barry AM, OTA CEO, addresses symposium attendees. | (From left to right) Wai Lim, Transplantation Society of Australia & New Zealand (TSANZ); Nikki Isabel, TSANZ; Kate Cundale, National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT); Kelli Owen, member of the OTA Advisory Board and NIKTT; Lucinda Barry AM, OTA CEO; Jaquelyne Hughes, NIKTT; and Stephen McDonald, NIKTT. |
Another recent highlight was joining the Commonwealth Assistant Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing, The Hon Rebecca White MP, in launching DonateLife Week at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne. We were joined by 18-year old Olivia, whose dad became a donor after a tragic accident; Vic, who received a heart transplant after surviving for 54 years with a rare heart condition; and 9-year-old Chloe, who had a liver transplant and starred in DonateLife Week 2026 advertising. In this edition, you’ll be able to read key evaluation results for the week and an overview of the incredible events held across the country.
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The Assistant Minister, the Hon Rebecca White MP, launches DonateLife Week at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne. |
As I leave my role, I do so with immense pride in what we have achieved together. Australia’s DonateLife program is now internationally recognised, record numbers of lives have been saved and transformed through donation and transplantation, and a trusted national donation system operates across 95 hospitals. These achievements belong to all of us and reflect the commitment, compassion and professionalism of the DonateLife network, our partners, and the many people who work tirelessly every day to support donors and their families.
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Moments from Lucinda's time at the OTA |
Leading the OTA and DonateLife has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. While I will greatly miss working alongside you, I leave confident in the future of Australia’s donation system and grateful for your partnership, friendship and unwavering commitment to our shared purpose of saving and transforming lives. Thank you for the trust you have placed in me. I know you will extend the same warm welcome and support to the new CEO Helen Grinbergs when she commences on 1 October 2026.
Warm wishes,
Lucinda
What's coming up
Calendar
Date | Activity |
Sunday 27 September to Friday 2 October | Australian Transplant Games (Launceston, Tasmania) |
Thursday 22 October | Saffron Day |
Sunday 25 October | Newcastle Service of Remembrance |
Monday 7 November | Tasmania Service of Remembrance |
Saturday 14 November | Sydney Service of Remembrance Victoria Service of Remembrance |
Sunday 15 November | DonateLife Thank You Day WA Service of Remembrance DonateLife SA Rose Planting Ceremony |
Friday 27 November | The Future of Lung Procurement with Abdominal Normothermic Perfusion webinar |
DonateLife Week 2026
Across Australia, DonateLife Week 2026 highlighted the power of community action in raising awareness of organ and tissue donation. Millions of people were reached through media coverage, thousands engaged through community events and hundreds of volunteers contributed their time and stories. Together, donor families, transplant recipients, healthcare professionals, businesses, volunteers and community partners helped encourage meaningful conversations and promote the life-changing impact of organ and tissue donation.
Activating our supporters
Each year, the success of DonateLife Week relies on the support of hundreds of volunteers and advocates nationwide. Volunteers play a vital role by coordinating monument illuminations, partnering with local businesses and cafés, staffing registration stalls, and sharing their stories through traditional and social media channels.
With their help, we engaged 648 cafés/businesses to support our ‘2 sips to register’ promotion, which is 21% more than 2025. There were also 147 illuminated monuments around Australia, which is 13% more than last year. Every state and territory ran a DLW activation event, with 14 in total.
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DonateLife coffee art. | Adelaide Railway Station lit up in magenta |
Increasing brand awareness
We use a YouGov pulse survey to regularly test our brand awareness with the Australian community. In August 2026, 39% of Australians say they have seen the DonateLife logo before when prompted. Awareness peaked in July with DonateLife Week activities, reaching 49% , the highest result ever achieved for brand awareness.
Digital channels
Our social media platforms help bring donor and recipient stories to life, inspire Australians to register as donors, and enable collaboration with stakeholders to reach and influence new audiences. During DonateLife Week, social media was full of overwhelmingly positive interactions and support.
This year we shared 420 organic posts and received a total of 2.5 million views on both organic and paid content, while reaching 682,895 people. We also gained 1,736 new followers.
We achieved 23,272 click throughs from our social media content to the DonateLife website, which is an increase of 179% on 2025. We also received 45,857 engagements on our paid and organic content, which is an increase of 99% on last year.
There were 323,278 new users to the website during DLW, 6,529 resource downloads and 9,786 people who checked their registration through the DonateLife registration form.
Media and PR highlights
Media coverage across television, radio, print and digital platforms shares compelling stories of transplant recipients, donor families and people on the waitlist, helping Australians understand the impact of donation and inspiring people to register as donors.
There were a total of 1,152 media items which achieved 26.3 million in media reach, and an equivalent advertising value of $6.2 million.
Top performing stories included:
- Rebecca, whose 4 year old daughter Brooklyn tragically died and went on to donate her liver to another child in need
- Mandy, whose heart transplant has helped her return to running and enabled her to complete a half marathon
- 17-year old Matthew, who received a life-changing liver transplant after living with chronic liver disease for 8 years
- Melainie, who found out she was pregnant shortly after being diagnosed with a rare form of lung disease and went on to give birth before receiving a double-lung transplant.
Our thanks to everyone who spoke to media and spread the word about DonateLife Week from across the network – we couldn’t deliver this campaign without you. More detail is provided in the state and territory updates below.
Partner activities
Our community partners ran local events and activities during DonateLife Week, including:
- Curated Australia, who ran 2 community walks in Sydney and Canberra and ended DLW with a ‘Magenta Gala for a cause’ event in Canberra
- Focal Leap Ventures, who ran 4 culturally tailored information sessions for the South-East Asian community in Melbourne
- Adelaide University Student Association, who promoted DLW at a Midwinter BBQ event for new university students
- The Migrant Centre, who worked with 9 different ethnic, regional and language-specific communities to create resources and to host morning teas
- Ipswich Jets, who ran a home game activation and digital promotion to engage the wider Ipswich community about organ and tissue donation.
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The Curated x DK Society | Joyce Cho from The Migrant Centre | Players from the |
Our community partners also implemented national marketing and public relations strategies, including:
- Convenience Advertising, who used their national in-venue public bathroom network across shopping centres, airports, tertiary institutions and licensed venues to generate awareness of organ and tissue donation and increase registrations
- News Corp, who implemented digital and social advertising and editorial activities
- WIN TV, who delivered YouTube advertising and refreshed television commercials for regional Australian audiences
- Agenda Media, who delivered editorial and articles targeting millennial women
- Loft Social, who partnered with Shameless Media to increase awareness and registrations amongst Australian women
- Make Mate, who delivered an in-game advertising strategy that predominantly targeted Australian mobile gamers
- Richmond Football Club, who used digital storytelling, advertising and video content to raise awareness with their fans
- Media Heads, who led a national radio campaign during DLW to target audiences across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote Australia.
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Pixel48 on behalf of WIN TV films |
OTA updates
Conferences
2026 DonateLife Symposium
Held in conjunction with the Commonwealth Tribute to Life, the 2026 DonateLife Symposium brought together donation and transplantation professionals from across the Commonwealth to learn, connect and share ideas. Delegates heard diverse perspectives from international colleagues, including keynote speaker Dr Dale Gardiner, whose presentation offered fascinating insights into donation and transplantation in the UK. We hope the symposium sparked new ideas, fostered new connections, and provided valuable learnings that attendees can continue to share and build on within their own organisations. We will let you know when the session recordings are available.
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A panel of speakers at the | Attendees gather during a break at the |
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Luke Datson and Emily Larkins at | Attendees listen to a presentation |
The Transplantation Society (TTS) international congress and opening ceremony
On Sunday 20 September, 4,500 delegates gathered in Sydney for the TTS International Congress. Ahead of the opening ceremony Transplant Australia hosted a transplant recipient and carer forum, bringing together Australian and international leaders alongside people with lived experience to share their insights, expertise and personal stories. The forum was followed by a Transplant Thank You Walk around Darling Harbour.
It was inspiring to see over 700 transplant recipients, donor families, living donors, healthcare professionals and supporters come together for the event. Led by the NSW Police Band, participants made their way around the harbour in a powerful display of gratitude and celebration, recognising more than 60 years of transplantation in Australia.
The morning provided a wonderful opportunity for community connection, reflection and appreciation, highlighting the life-changing impact of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
We look forward to further updates from those of you who attended TTS.
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The Transplant Thank You Walk | The NSW Police Band lead the Transplant Thank You Walk | Supporters get the Transplant Thank You Walk underway |
Clinical
The future of lung procurement with Abdominal normothermic perfusion in Australia webinar
DonateLife network staff are invited to attend a live webinar, The Future of Lung Procurement with Abdominal Normothermic Perfusion (aNRP), on Friday 27 November 2026.
The webinar will bring together expert speakers from Australia and the UK to discuss advances in lung transplantation, the principles and potential application of aNRP, Australian legislation and the definition of death, and future opportunities for collaboration and innovation in transplantation. The session aims to explore how emerging technologies and multidisciplinary partnerships can help improve outcomes for transplant patients and shape the future of organ donation and transplantation in Australia.
Register now via this link.
International Society for Organ Donation Professionals (ISODP) survey
A reminder that ISODP are keen to hear your thoughts on the future of ISODP through a short survey. They’d like to know:
- What do organ donation professionals currently need most right now?
- What would make ISODP more valuable to you?
- What opportunities would you like more of?
- What events, education and support do you want
- What barriers exist in being more involved?
The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous, so please be as open and honest as you like. Every response makes a difference, whether you are a member or non-member.
Analytics and Technology
Year to date data
Up to the end of August, there were:
- 399 deceased donors for January to August, an 8% increase on the same period in 2025 (368).
- 1,044 recipients for January to August, a 10% increase on the same period in 2025 (952).
The DonateLife Audit data to the end of August 2026 shows a national consent rate of 54%, up 1% from 53% during the same period in 2025.
Other key metrics include:
- 91% overall referral rate, up/down from 90% during the same period in 2025.
- 89% of staff raised discussions involved a Donation Specialist Nurse, up 2% during the same period in 2025.
Network news
DonateLife ACT
The ACT celebrated DonateLife Week 2026 with strong community spirit and broad local support. Pharmacies, cafés and other businesses displayed campaign materials and helped raise awareness throughout the week.
A highlight was an information stall at Erindale Pharmacy, where transplant recipient Kim Wilesmith and longtime DonateLife supporter Laurie Wiseman shared their personal experiences and spoke with community members. Increased volunteer support enabled the team to engage with even more local businesses than in previous years.
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DonateLife ACT volunteers Kim Wilesmith (kidney recipient) and Laurie Wiseman (donor family) at Erindale Pharmacy. |
Donor families and transplant recipients played a central role in the campaign by sharing their stories through media opportunities and community events. Awareness activities were also held at Canberra Hospital and North Canberra Hospital, including support from Canberra Health Services Spiritual Support Services and the much-loved therapy dog Lachie.
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Chris Dudfield, Manager, Spiritual Support Services; Lachie the therapy dog; and Matt Ensor, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator at a North Canberra Hospital information stall. |
The team attended ANU Bush Week and a local Parkrun, while the cycling community again demonstrated its support through the Synergy DonateLife Week Cycle Challenge. One hundred cyclists rode a combined 360 kilometres over seven days while promoting organ and tissue donation.
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The DonateLife Cycling Challenge 2026. |
Canberra landmarks were illuminated in magenta, flags were flown and digital screens displayed DonateLife messages across the city. Community partner Curated hosted 2 major events, attracting almost 200 participants to the Curated x DonateLife Walk for a Cause and Social Session and nearly 300 guests to the Curated Gala Night for a Cause.
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(Left to right) Wendy Barber, JC Chatlin, Vanessa Schimizzi (founder of Curated) and Nadia Burkolter at the Curated x DK Society Sunrise Walk for a Cause. | The Carillon illuminated magenta. |
DonateLife NSW
DonateLife Week reached 6.81 million people across New South Wales through extensive media coverage across metropolitan, regional and rural communities.
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Duke of Edinburgh Award volunteers provided valuable support during DonateLife Week, assisting with administrative tasks, outreach to local cafés, sticker distribution, and preparations for the launch event. |
A donor family story featured in The Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald on launch day with commentary from Co-State Medical Director Michael O'Leary. Co-State Medical Director Dr Elena Cavazzoni also appeared in a Channel 9 News story broadcast across 12 markets.
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Dr Elena Cavazzoni, Co-State Medical Director. |
Service NSW supported the campaign through registration prompts in the MyServiceNSW app, customer emails and screens displayed in 118 service centres. The NSW Ministry of Health produced social media videos featuring Donation Specialist Coordinator Trina Ripoll, while the NSW Tissue Bank team was profiled in a statewide staff newsletter.
All 15 Local Health Districts participated in the campaign, helping tailor content for local audiences.
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The General Manager of Liverpool Hospital, South Western Sydney Local Health District, showed support for organ and tissue donation during DonateLife Week 2026. | Staff from the Intensive Care Unit at Wagga Wagga Hospital kicked off DonateLife Week 2026 with a friendly bake-off competition to raise awareness and encourage conversations about organ and tissue donation. |
A schools competition delivered with the University of NSW’s Museum of Human Disease attracted more than 50 entries from over 20 schools. Students in Years 7 to 12 created videos and social media campaigns promoting organ and tissue donation. The finalists attracted more than 1,800 public votes before winners were announced in August.
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One of the winners of the UNSW Science Week competition. |
The state's Walk for a Cause launch event was delivered in partnership with Curated, the NSW Multicultural Communities Association and The Lansdowne Hotel.
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NSW heart transplant recipient Luka Angel, who featured in the DonateLife Week 2026 campaign, attended the NSW Launch Event. Pictured in the centre with Family Support Coordinator Kellie Tope. | Attendees gathered for a group photo to officially kicked off DonateLife Week 2026. |
DonateLife NT
DonateLife Week activities across the Northern Territory focused on community engagement, education and visibility.
Activities included a morning information stall at the Nightcliff Foreshore in partnership with the Foreshore Café and 3 pub trivia nights featuring dedicated DonateLife rounds.
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Nightcliff Foreshore DLW event featuring Leigh Hill from DonateLife NT |
The Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin Council Chambers and the Palmerston water tower were illuminated in pink throughout the week. More than 80 Darwin cafés and businesses also supported the campaign.
ABC Darwin Radio featured interviews with renal and pancreas transplant recipient Michael Fitzgerald, DonateLife NT Clinical Nurse Manager Leigh, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator Nadine and DonateLife NT Director Lee Wood. The segment also included stories from a live donor, a transplant recipient and a donor mother.
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(Left to right) ABC Darwin radio interview with Nadine Tinsley, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator; Sajarn Stow, who donated a kidney to his brother; Leigh Hill, Clinical Nurse Manager; and transplant recipient Michael Fitzgerald. |
The DonateLife team also won the 2026 Theodore Kassaras Soccer Memorial Cup, while branded buses and taxis helped extend campaign visibility.
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Soccer players at the Theodore Kassaras Soccer Memorial Cup. |
DonateLife volunteers and Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinators attended Charles Darwin University Open Day. Later in August, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinators Alex and Nadine travelled to Alice Springs to deliver hospital and community education sessions.
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Alex Hinchcliff (left) and Nadine Tinsley, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinators. |
DonateLife QLD
Queensland delivered a large-scale community engagement program during DonateLife Week, supported by a strong volunteer network.
Volunteers and staff connected with 212 cafés and businesses across the state, providing posters, stickers and coffee cups to help promote organ and tissue donation.
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Local pharmacy Terry White Chemmart at Kawana Sunshine Coast supporting DonateLife Week with pharmacist Isla. | DonateLife Qld supporter Dana from Gold Coast used our stickers on her organic produce that was sold at a local farmer’s market. |
5 major activations were held in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Mackay and Cairns. Activities included volunteer recognition events, community walks, support from Surfing Queensland and the Queensland Police Service, and local radio partnerships.
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Mackay held their radio outside broadcast with StarFM at their local farmer’s market. Their supporters included donor parents, a kidney recipient, and a living kidney donor and recipient. | Gold Coast celebrated DonateLife Week by hosting a radio activation with Triple M. There were supporters from DonateLife, QLD Police Service, Surfing Qld, and Transplant Australia. |
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Cairns had their key activation in the form of a radio outside broadcast with StarFM at Rusty’s Market. Their supporters on the day included kidney recipients, a heart recipient, a donor wife, and a donor mum. Their event took place at the Tallebudgera Surf Lifesaving Club. | A beautiful Sunday at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens kicking off DonateLife Week with over 200 supporters. |
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Loren, a Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator from Cairns Hospital (centre) with Uncle Billy (left, his brother Ross was a donor) and radio host from Bumma Bippera (right) |
Across the state, volunteers and staff delivered 39 information stalls, community events, school presentations and guest speaking opportunities. Twelve Queensland MPs also supported the campaign through events, social media activity and media appearances.
Media engagement was a significant success, with more than 600 stories published across television, radio, print and online platforms, reaching an estimated 3.9 million people. Stories featured multi-organ recipient Kate, Townsville nurse and double lung transplant waitlist patient Melainie, and teenage liver recipient Matthew.
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Liver recipient Matthew from Nudgee College in Brisbane was interviewed by Ch 7 News at his hospital, the QLD Children’s Hospital, along with his liver transplant coordinator Maddie who is a donor daughter. |
42 buildings and landmarks were illuminated in magenta, including Brisbane's Story Bridge, the Surfers Paradise sign on the Gold Coast and Rockhampton Customs House.
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Jo, a Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator from Rockhampton Hospital in front of the magenta Rockhampton Pilbeam Theatre. |
The annual Townsville Running Festival was another highlight. More than 150 participants joined the DonateLife team, which won all 4 corporate team race awards.
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The biggest team ever with over 150 people signing up to be part of the DonateLife team at the Townsville Running Festival. |
Queensland's campaign was supported by 111 volunteers and supporters who assisted with community events, business engagement, media opportunities and storytelling activities.
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Chati and Preema, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinators, posing with the advertisements they arranged for Hervey Bay buses. | Kidney recipient Sabrina and other kidney recipients are featured in Cairns Hospital with new signage installed just in time for DonateLife Week. |
DonateLife TAS
DonateLife Tasmania achieved strong media and community engagement outcomes during DonateLife Week 2026.
The campaign generated 19 interviews, resulting in 17 media stories. Heart transplant recipient Mandy McIntyre featured in several stories, including a feature article in Woman's Day.
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Mandy McIntyre, heart recipient doing a TV media interview for DonateLife Week. |
Across Tasmania, 15 landmarks were illuminated and supported by digital billboards, banners and bus advertising, creating strong statewide visibility for the campaign.
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Cardinal Lights on the Hobart Waterfront illuminated for DonateLife Week. |
For the first time, volunteers participated in the sticker campaign, social media activities and media opportunities, strengthening community involvement.
Another milestone was a new media partnership with SeaFM in Burnie. The partnership included merchandise giveaways, community service announcements, on-air promotions and a live outside broadcast where local volunteers and supporters shared their lived experiences.
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Jess Bennett Interviews Tarz about her family’s experience with organ and tissue donation at the SEAFM Burnie Outside Broadcast. |
DonateLife VIC
DonateLife Week 2026 in Victoria delivered a coordinated program of community engagement, health service support, volunteer activities and media communications.
Across the state, activities included 10 landmark illuminations, 85 café and business activations through the coffee cup campaign, 15 community events and 15 guest speaking engagements.
A key community event was Have a Cuppa, Get the Tea in Bendigo, which attracted 45 attendees. The event provided a welcoming environment for conversations about organ and tissue donation and included information and registration support.
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(Left to right) Matt Ellis, Grace Phillips, Megan Plas and Tony Holland from DonateLife Victoria at the Have a cuppa, get the tea activation in Bendigo during DonateLife Week. | Guests at DonateLife Victoria’s Have a cuppa, get the tea activation in Bendigo. |
Victoria also introduced a street art activation in Bendigo's Chancery Lane. Created with local supporters, the artwork encourages ongoing community conversations about donation and continues to raise awareness beyond DonateLife Week.
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Some of the DonateLife themed paste ups in Chancery Lane Bendigo, at DonateLife Victoria’s pop-up street art activation during DonateLIfe Week. |
Health services played an important role, with information stalls held at Monash Health and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Feedback highlighted the effectiveness of campaign communications, streamlined collateral processes and coordinated support.
Volunteers supported events and speaking opportunities across Victoria, helping to facilitate local conversations about organ and tissue donation.
Media activity included 4 podcast interviews, more than 10 print and online stories, three television stories and 2 radio interviews. Additional advertising through print and digital channels helped extend campaign reach throughout the state.
DonateLife WA
Communities across Western Australia embraced DonateLife Week through local events, business partnerships and landmark illuminations.
58 cafés and businesses, including all 33 Muzz Buzz franchisees, participated in the Register in 2 Sips campaign, while 36 landmarks were illuminated in magenta.
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Optus Stadium and Matagarup Bridge lit up magenta. |
The major event of the week was the DonateLife WA Lap for Life. More than 300 donor families, transplant recipients, healthcare professionals, volunteers and supporters gathered at Lake Monger Recreation Club before walking around Galup Reserve.
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Participants decked out in magenta walking around Galup Reserve at the DonateLife WA Lap for Life. | Participants making the most of the photo booth at the DonateLife WA Lap for Life. |
One of the event's most memorable moments was hearing from special guest speaker Sebastian, who shared his experience of receiving a life-saving liver transplant as a young child. His story highlighted the impact of organ and tissue donation on individuals and families.
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Dr David Blythe, State Medical Director and guest speaker, Sebastian Molina on stage at the DonateLife WA Lap for Life. |
The event attracted media coverage featuring liver recipient Jake Prince, his mother Alana, Sebastian and his mother Aurora.
Participants also attended the unveiling of the Tread of Life artwork, a collaborative project led by Transplant Australia WA and local artist Antisha. The artwork symbolises the connection between donors, donor families and transplant recipients and will travel to Tasmania later this year for the Australian Transplant Games.
Additional activities included digital billboard advertising across Perth, Grand Rounds at Perth Children's Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Armadale Health Service, and a workplace presentation delivered by Donation Specialist Coordinator Mary Lynch. Volunteers also promoted organ and tissue donation at regional events including the FeNaCING Festival and Spinifex Spree.
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(Left to right) Mary Lynch, Donation Specialist Coordinator; Dr Mairead Heaney, DonateLife WA Consultant; and Linda Thomas, Clinical Nurse Specialist with donor family guest speakers, Laurence and Yvonne at the Perth Children’s Hospital Grand Round. |
DonateLife SA
DonateLife Week 2026 was a celebration of generosity, community and the life-changing impact of organ and tissue donation. The support of volunteers, partners, donor families, transplant recipients and communities across South Australia helped make this year's campaign a success.
A key achievement was the strong support from volunteers, staff and community partners, who helped activate more than 60 cafés and businesses across the state. Participating businesses displayed posters, beanies, stickers and specially designed coasters, helping start conversations about organ and tissue donation in everyday settings.
We had 21 dedicated volunteers who supported information stalls and community events, and shared their stories through social media and media opportunities. The launch of the Better Impact volunteer platform has also created a new way to coordinate volunteer opportunities and support volunteer involvement throughout the year.
The DonateLife Quiz Night at The Arkaba was a major highlight, bringing together 270 supporters for an engaging evening. Importantly, 13% of attendees reported they were previously unaware of DonateLife, showing the event's success in reaching new audiences.
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Over 270 people battled it out at the first DonateLife SA Quiz Night! | Lots of laughs and good times had at the DonateLife Quiz Night hosted by Funny Quiz. |
Volunteers and staff also supported 10 other community activations and information events, including the Adelaide Showground Farmers' Market, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Barossa Central Shopping Centre, Pasadena Community Centre, a Thrive After Giving picnic for living kidney donors in Kuitpo Forest, and a celebration marking 20 years of monthly gatherings between donor families and transplant recipients in Port Augusta.
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Volunteer Ashleigh and Sammy and Camila from the DonateLife SA team speaking with members of the public at the Adelaide Famers Market. | Volunteers Glenys, Gerry, Shelley and DonateLife staff member Pip at the Royal Adelaide Hospital stall. |
The Charlie Stevens Memorial Match was another important highlight. The event helped share the organ and tissue donation message with the football community while honouring Charlie's legacy. South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing Blair Boyer and Member for Elder Nadia Clancy attended the event and showed their support for DonateLife Week.
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During DonateLife Week, Emma and Grant Stevens were joined by local MP Nadia Clancy and South Australia's Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Blair Boyer, at the Charlie Steven's | Supporters of all ages at the Charlie Stevens Memorial Match! |
Media coverage was strong across television, radio, print, online and government channels. Highlights included a South Australia Police media event attended by Channel 7, Channel 9 and The Advertiser, as well as coverage of the Charlie Stevens Memorial Match on Channel 9. DonateLife stories also appeared through AAP, We Are.SA, The Post, the Port Augusta Transcontinental and The Leader in the Barossa. DonateLife Board member Oren Klemich also participated in 2 interviews with 5AA.
Across the state, 11 buildings and landmarks were illuminated in magenta, helping raise awareness and encourage conversations about donation. DonateLife Week was further promoted through Currie Street banners, metropolitan and regional outdoor advertising, bus and tram stop displays, hospital screens, and communications across SA Health and the Local Health Networks.
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Ashleigh, DonateLife SA volunteer, at the Adelaide Farmers Market. |
Planning for DonateLife Week 2027 is already underway, and we look forward to building on the success of this year's campaign.
Staff updates
OTA
The OTA farewelled Tom Whitelaw, Clinical Education Lead, who has taken up an exciting new opportunity at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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(From left to right) Rosalie Grivell, Director Clinical Programs; Tom Whitelaw, Clinical Education Lead; and Lucinda Barry AM, OTA CEO |
Nanette Pritchard from our Governance and Parliamentary team, and Sarah Pickersgill from our Communications and Engagement team, are on secondment to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Services Australia, respectively.
In September, we warmly welcomed Shivani Pillay to the Analytics and Technology team.
We also farewell Lucinda Barry AM as our Chief Executive Officer on 30 September, and welcome Helen Grinbergs from 1 October.
Agencies
ACT
We farewelled Narelle Comer as she embarked on a well-deserved retirement. We welcomed Melanie Brown as our new Clinical Manager, bringing extensive experience in Emergency Nursing and, more recently, Home Affairs.
Andree Salter, Donation Specialist Medical is also transitioning into retirement and has been succeeded by Dr Oliver Walsh, an Intensivist at North Canberra Hospital.
Dani Quiggin, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator is returning to ICU however will assist with the on-call roster as required. She will be greatly missed.
NSW
Ms Cassandra Reed has been appointed to the role of Clinical Manager, vacated by Nicola Seifert in 2025.
Dr Anne-Marie Welsh has been appointed lead Donation Specialist Medical (DSM) at The St George Hospital, replacing Dr Tejo Kapalli. Dr Welsh has previously held DSM roles at Nepean Hospital and in Queensland. Dr Kapalli and Dr Swapnil Pawar continue in the donation service at St George.
Ms Kelly Lewis has been appointed End-of-life Liaison Clinical Nurse Consultant.
NT
DonateLife NT are excited to welcome a new Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator to our team, Laura Adams, starting in September.
QLD
We have welcomed ICU nurse Danny Peres to our DonateLife Townsville University Hospital team. Danny is working with Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinators (DSNCs) Meagan and Jarod. Jarod is an experienced ICU and oncology nurse with extensive experience in end-of-life care.
We have also welcomed Kathryn Lambert as our DSNC. She will be based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, together with our DonateLife agency team. Kathryn has been a social worker for over 2 decades, working internationally and in Australia in areas such as end-of-life care and most recently, the Queensland Children’s Hospital’s Cardiac Services.
Congratulations to DSNCs Kirsty and Shona for their nomination in the Nursing and Midwifery Leadership Award category at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
We also want to congratulate Donation Specialist Nurse Alicia from the Princess Alexandra Hospital and her husband, who have welcomed baby Ruby into their family. We wish them all the best.
SA
Bonny Kapelko is stepping into the role as Acting Agency Manager whilst Amanda Stewart is on maternity leave. Previously the Clinical Manager at DonateLife SA, Bonny has worked in the organ and tissue donation sector since 2021. Originally trained as an intensive care nurse, she holds postgraduate qualifications in critical care and leadership. Bonny values the opportunity to support donor families during some of life's most difficult moments and enjoys working alongside multidisciplinary teams to improve organ and tissue donation outcomes across South Australia.
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Bonny is stepping into the role as Acting Agency Manager |
We also extend a warm welcome to Lindsay Whitelaw and Jess Ware as the successful applicants for the Donation Specialist Nursing Coordinator role.
Lindsay is a highly experienced Critical Care Nurse with over 20 years of post-registration experience. She has worked within Flinders Medical Centre ICU since 2010, during which time she has undertaken several leadership roles and has been a mentor for junior staff. Lindsay’s commitment to end of life care is reflected in her role as a Clinical Nurse with the End of Life Follow Up Service, supporting bereaved families while collaborating across a statewide service.
Jess has a strong Critical Care Nursing background, with over 11 years of experience in the Royal Adelaide Hospital ICU. During this time, she has shown leadership and advanced clinical expertise in her roles as a team leader, and when caring for critically ill patients. Her clear commitment to providing dignified and empathic end of life care to patients is also reflected in her role of Clinical Nurse for the Statewide End of Life Follow Up Service.
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We warmly welcome Lindsay Whitelaw to our team as a Donation Specialist Nursing Coordinator. | We warmly welcome Jess Ware to our team as a Donation Specialist Nursing Coordinator. |
TAS
In early September, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator Zoe Butler went on parental leave. We look forward to her return to DonateLife in 2027 and wish her the best as a new parent.
VIC
DonateLife VIC said goodbye to Ballarat Donation Specialist Nurse, Larna Woodyatt after 14 years of outstanding service. Larna was the first nurse to facilitate an organ donation after Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) case in Australia and has been pivotal in the generation of key policies and frameworks for organ donation after VAD here in Victoria. Larna has been replaced by Naomi Moore, and we look forward Naomi taking over the reins at Grampians Health.
We also welcome Rhea O’Shanassy, who has been employed as a Hospital Support Nurse (HSN) at Alfred Health to cover some parental leave. Rhea was a previous Donation Specialist Nurse at St Vincent’s Health up until 2021 and it's great to see her back working in organ donation again.
WA
DonateLife WA staff recently attended a morning tea at Bestway Sewing & Embroidery Centre, where donor family member Lesley and her sewing group, The Knightly Sewers, generously donated 76 handmade memory quilts for donor families across WA.
Inspired by her family's donation journey, Lesley brought together a talented group of quilters committed to creating meaningful keepsakes for donor families. Each quilt has been handcrafted with care and compassion, with the group sharing that this is only the beginning of their efforts.
We are incredibly grateful to Lesley and The Knightly Sewers for their extraordinary generosity and support of donor families.
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Donor Aunt, Lesley, presenting Sam Harris, Donor Family Support Coordinator, and Zoe Carr, Communications Officer, with the donor family memory quilts |
DonateLife WA farewelled Administrative Officer, Sally Klifunis, who has commenced a new role with the WA Department of Health. We thank Sally for her valuable contribution and wish her every success in her new position.
We are pleased to welcome, Olivia Tomassone to the DonateLife WA team as the new Administration Officer and look forward to working with her.
Do you have news or feedback to share?
We’d love to hear your feedback about the DonateLife Network Update. Please let us know your thoughts and what content you would find useful for future editions by emailing the OTA communications team: communications@donatelife.gov.au.
If you have an update to share, contact your state or territory communications rep or email the OTA communications team: communications@donatelife.gov.au.
These updates are distributed to DonateLife staff across Australia, via the contact details within the DonateLife Learning Site. To update this distribution list, please speak to the education coordinator in your jurisdiction. We thank you for not sharing this update with anyone outside of the network.
