DonateLife WA coordinates all organ and tissue donor activities across the state. It works with hospitals and hospital-based DonateLife medical and nursing specialists to provide professional donation services and encourage best practice to increase donation rates.
DonateLife WA activities include:
- raising awareness about organ and tissue donation
- encouraging discussion about donation
- educating health professionals about the donation process
- offering care and support to donor families.
Get involved and volunteer with DonateLife WA
DonateLife WA has an active volunteer program and we would love to hear from you if you would like to join us as a volunteer. To find out more, contact our Communications Coordinator:
Jenny Duggan
Phone: (08) 6557 8018 or 0477 371 675
Email: communications.donatelife@health.wa.gov.au
Our volunteers are integral to increasing awareness of organ and tissue donation across WA. Our volunteer team includes:
- transplant recipients
- family members (recipient and donor families)
- general community members.
Our volunteers take part in activities and events all over WA, including information displays, community talks and media opportunities.
Contact DonateLife WA
To contact the on-call donor coordinator
Call the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on (08) 6457 3333 (24 hours/7 days). Ask to speak with the on-call organ and tissue donor coordinator.
General enquiries
PO Box 332, Northbridge WA 6865
Phone: 1800 950 155
Fax: 1800 950 199
Email: DonateLifeWA@health.wa.gov.au
Media contact
Jenny Duggan
Phone: 08 6557 8018 or 0477 371 675
Email: communications.donatelife@health.wa.gov.au
Donor family support coordinator
Anna Wilson (available (Wednesdays, Thursdays and alternate Mondays)
Phone: (08) 6557 8019 or 0472 865 601
Email: DonateLife.DFSC@health.wa.gov.au
Dr Simon Towler commenced as Acting Medical Director for DonateLife in December 2019 and then as the substantive Medical Director in January 2021.
He is a Staff Specialist in intensive care at the Fiona Stanley Hospital, Clinical Lead for End of Life Care with the WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network and State Director of DonateLife WA.
He is a Fellow of the College of Intensive Care Medicine, the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, the Australasian College of Health Service Managers and the Australian Medical Association.
Previously the Chief Medical Officer of Western Australia from 2006 to 2012, and a former President of the AMA in Western Australia, Simon has had many senior roles across WA Health. More recently he was a member of the Clinical Reference Group for the Sustainable Health Review released in 2019 and was a member of the Ministerial Expert Panel on Voluntary Assisted Dying in the same year.
In his current role as End of Life Care Clinical Lead he is extensively involved in the implementation of key commitments made by the WA Government arising from the My Life, My Choice Report, including implementation of the Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation and the recommendations arising from the Millman Committee Report with regard to advance health directives and advance care plans.
Over the last 12 months, Simon has been the clinical lead for a project between the WA Department of Health and the Australian Digital Health Agency to promote the use of the My Health Record to store and make accessible advance care planning information, including Advance Care Directives and Goals of Care documents.
Melissa Smith is a registered nurse. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Nursing, a Postgraduate Diploma in ICU nursing and a Diploma of Counselling.
Raised in the Gascoyne region of WA, Melissa has worked in adult ICU management and education in WA and in the UK.
She began working at DonateLife as a donor coordinator in 2000, with stints as an education officer and acting manager. Melissa became clinical nurse manager in 2013.
DonateLife WA staff
The DonateLife WA team consists of donor coordinators, and medical and nursing donation specialists. This highly skilled team support the family and donation process and provide education to the community and clinicians.
DonateLife Agency staff also include the education officer, communications officer and administrative support.
