DonateLife Network updates

Save the date – 2026 DonateLife Symposium 

The 2026 DonateLife Symposium, held in conjunction with the Commonwealth Tribute to Life, is taking place on 18–19 September at the Sydney Masonic Centre. 

Bringing together clinicians from the organ, eye, and tissue donation and transplantation sectors, the symposium offers a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and share ideas driving best practice and innovation. Featuring exciting international speakers alongside national leaders, this event will inspire collaboration and fresh thinking across the donation and transplantation community. Registrations are set to open in May. 

Janette Hall Professional Training and Development Scholarship program 

The Scholarship is provided in memory of Janette Hall, a donation specialist nurse who became an organ and tissue donor in December 2010. The scholarship was established to support the professional development of staff working within the DonateLife Network. 

The February scholarship round has now closed, and applications are being assessed. Applicants will be advised of the outcomes once the process is complete.

The next scholarship round opens in August this year. Applicants are encouraged to propose activities that increase their knowledge and skills in organ donation, and clearly align with the OTA Strategy 2022-2027. 

The Scholarship Guideline for Applicants and other relevant documents are available on the Learning Management System.

If you have any questions, please contact the team at education@donatelife.gov.au. 

OrganMatch donor chart pilot launch

A pilot began on Monday 2 March, enabling teams to access the donor chart directly within the OrganMatch Transplant Portal when donor offers are made to the home state. 

This development marks an important step forward in enhancing real-time information sharing for the transplant community and strengthening OrganMatch as a central clinical resource. Transplant users in the pilot are invited to provide feedback on the donor chart functionality. Their insights will help ensure that, once fully implemented, the system is fit for purpose and supports timely and informed clinical decision making. 

The Electronic Donor Record (EDR) PDF email is still required throughout the pilot period.

As part of the pilot, there is a minor adjustment to the donation workflow. At the time a donor chart is transmitted from the EDR, an accompanying submission within OrganMatch is also required. The transplant unit’s clinical decision will continue to occur from the EDR PDF received, in conjunction with access to OrganMatch.

We’ll share more updates as the pilot progresses.

The ENQUIRE Project

Following an extensive design and consultation process, the trial of the Family’s Experiences of Donation – a Quality Improvement Project (the ENQUIRE Project) commenced on Monday 2 February. The ENQUIRE Project is a quality assurance activity providing donor families with the opportunity to share feedback about the donation process via a short survey. 

All DonateLife staff received an email about the ENQUIRE Project in late January, with an information sheet attached. If you have any further questions about the ENQUIRE Project, please speak to your DonateLife agency’s Family Support Coordinator, or email the Clinical Programs team at education@donatelife.gov.au.   

The 2025 donation and transplantation data release provides a measure of progress against the Australian Government’s national program for increasing organ and tissue donation for transplantation. It includes data on organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation – both deceased and living – that informs ongoing sector improvements.

Australia’s rate of donors per million population (dpmp) increased to 20.2 dpmp from 19.4 dpmp in 2025, against a national target of 25 dpmp.

There were also 1,677 deceased eye donors and 332 deceased tissue donors, 230 living kidney donors, and 3,497 living tissue donors who transformed the lives of Australians needing a transplant in 2025.

While Australia’s organ and tissue donation activity has increased, resulting in more Australian’s receiving a transplant, our consent rate remains low.

In 2025, 53% of families consented to organ donation in the hospital. This is consistent with our consent rate in 2024 but well below our historical peak consent rate of 60% in 2018.

Increasing the consent rate is critical for future growth in donation and transplantation. Registration also has a direct impact on consent. When a person is registered as an organ and tissue donor, families are much more likely to consent to donation in the hospital. However, while most Australians support organ donation and think it’s a good thing, Australia’s registration rate has dropped to 35% (from 36%) in 2025.

We remain steadfast in our goal to increase organ and tissue donation and give more Australians access to life-saving transplants.

We sincerely thank all donors, and their families, who agreed to donation and gave so many Australians a second chance at life in 2025.

We also acknowledge the dedication and commitment of DonateLife donation specialist staff, intensive care units and transplant teams, community advocates and supporters throughout the year. 

Community Awareness Grants 2026

On Monday 3 November 2025, the Minister responsible for the OTA, the Hon. Rebecca White MP, announced the opening of the DonateLife 2026 Community Awareness Grants.  

Our community partners will host local DonateLife Week 2026 events or activities or develop national marketing or public relations strategies. 

Applications closed on Monday 15 December 2025. Assessments are progressing, and successful applicants will be announced by the end of March.

Dear Life

The Stan Original drama, Dear Life premiered on Thursday 1 January. Brooke Satchwell stars as a woman who tries to deal with the grief of losing her fiancé by seeking out the recipients of his donated organs.

The producers, Gristmill, spoke to a range of stakeholders to understand the organ donation system in Australia, including recipients, donor families, and staff from within the DonateLife network and the OTA. We weren’t shown the full series or the script before the premiere.

We understand the themes in this show could be confronting for some families and recipients. Should any of them contact you, please liaise with your Donor Family Support Coordinator to reach out and to arrange support. The OTA also distributed talking points and suggested responses to DonateLife agencies in November 2025.

A promotional image for the Stan original series, Dear Life.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

Last year, the ACT remained consistent with 2024 results, with 13 donors and 42 transplant recipients.

The DonateLife ACT team has worked on strengthening relationships with the Canberra Hospital emergency department, intensive care unit and operating theatres. This is in addition to the strong relationships between our leadership and new executives across both public hospitals in the territory, and jurisdictional representatives from the newly formed Health and Community Services Directorate. These relationships are essential to ensuring continued awareness of organ and tissue donation across CHS channels. Maintaining donation as a consideration for ICU and ED staff will also support the ACT in maintaining higher than average notification rates.

DonateLife ACT are also progressing with implementing Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) progresses and will continue working towards stronger engagement with VAD clinicians for better alignment. The ACT is committed to this work so that we can support the first Canberran who requests to become a donor in the context of VAD.

Community Engagement update

DonateLife ACT arranged a special gift for a sweet 4-legged supporter, Lachie the Spiritual Support Services dog for Canberra Health Services (CHS). He now proudly walks alongside the CHS Spiritual Support Services Manager, sporting a DonateLife supporter vest around the campus and when visiting patients across health care facilities.

Lachie, the Canberra Health Services Spiritual Support Services dog.

Brad Rossiter is a kidney and pancreas recipient, a long-standing volunteer and valued friend of DonateLife ACT. He has dedicated years to raising awareness of organ and tissue donation across the Eurobodalla and South Coast, including through the annual Eurobodalla Health and Community Expo. The expo brings together local healthcare providers to educate and connect with the community. DonateLife ACT supported Brad at the latest expo in November 2025.

Brad Rossiter, our wonderful DonateLife advocate at the South Coast, at the 2025 Eurobodalla Health and Community Expo.

In 2026, we are focused on reaching culturally and linguistically diverse audiences and young people. We’ve attended the TAFE and university O’Weeks, the Canberra Multicultural Festival, and the Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y) Program. 

We are also building a volunteer program to assist us with community activations.

Wendy Barber from DonateLife ACT speaking with attendees at the Australian National University’s Market Day.

The ACT Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving was held at the National Gallery of Australia on Saturday 21 February. As always, it was a touching and solemn event that brought together the many lives impacted by organ and tissue donation. This included local donor families, recipients, and dedicated professionals who work in the field. 

We were privileged to hear deeply personal reflections from:

• the wife of an organ donor
• the daughter of an eye tissue donor
• the wife of a heart recipient
• a former DonateLife ACT Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator
• 2 donor families who spoke about what life looks like several years on after saying yes to donation. 

Each spoke with generosity and courage about their journey, offering stories of loss, gratitude and hope. It resonated deeply, and reminded us of the lasting impact of donation.

Dani Quiggin, MC of the Service, speaks at the ACT Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving at Gandel Hall, National Gallery of Australia.	(From left to right): Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinators Matt Ensor, Siobhan Jolly and JC Chatelin.	Wendy Barber from DonateLife ACT and Nadia Burkolter, DonateLife ACT Agency Manager.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

New South Wales recorded its highest ever number of actual organ donors in 2025, with 160 donors, alongside our highest number of total intended donors. This outcome occurred due to sustained growth in planned end-of-life notifications to the NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service, which reached 2,130 in 2025 – representing a 13% increase compared to 2024.

Despite this growth in activity, consent remains our most significant challenge. The overall family consent rate for 2025 remained at 50%. While the trend of increased notification activity has continued into January 2026, the consent rate for conversations held during that month was 44%. Improving consent outcomes will remain a central focus in 2026.

Overall, performance against key performance indicators in 2025 was strong. The referral rate was 87%, the Australian Organ Donor Register check rate was 95%, and Donation Specialist Nurse involvement in family conversations (excluding family-raised discussions) was 90%. Although the referral rate was slightly lower than in 2024, 70% of missed referrals related to patients with a non-neurological diagnosis for death and minimal realistic chance of donation.

Among missed neurological cases, the principal reasons for non-referral included patients not being clinically supportable, not intubated, or not expected to die within the donation after circulatory death timeframe. However, in 11 cases (32.4% of missed neurological referrals), referral did not occur because donation was not considered, and in a further 2 cases the clinician chose not to refer. While these are small numbers, we will continue working closely with hospital teams to ensure all potential donation opportunities are identified and referred.

In 2025, 11 patients deemed eligible for Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) were referred to the service, with 2 proceeding to become actual organ donors. Following the first anniversary of VAD legislation in New South Wales, we are reviewing and updating our guideline for organ and tissue donation in this context to ensure clarity and alignment with legislative and clinical practice.

Clinical updates

Over the Christmas and New Year period, the clinical team also contributed to national initiatives, such as responses to the Australian Law Reform Commission proposals for reform of the Human Tissue legislation. There was also ongoing work on the redesign of the national organ donation education program, Best Practice Guideline and the Clinical Practice Improvement Program.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

The Northern Territory had 111 notifications in 2025, resulting in 5 donors and 4 intended donors. 

Our consent rate also improved, including consent from First Nations families. This is likely attributed to ongoing First Nations engagement, in particular with the Aboriginal Interpreter Service, resulting in improved cultural safety in family conversations. 

The NT continues to undertake significant community and professional education and awareness activities to increase understanding of and gain support for organ and tissue donation. The clinical champions program commenced at Royal Darwin Hospital in 2025, resulting in multidisciplinary engagement and increased interest in the work of DonateLife NT.

Bush tucker two-way learning day

The Top End Renal Home Therapies team in Darwin arranged to have a special Bush Tucker event on Tuesday 9 December to close the year out in style. The DonateLife NT team was grateful to receive an invitation.

Dr Jaqui Hughes, a Torres Strait Islander woman (Gumulgal Ipeka, Mabuyag Island) and a Kidney Specialist Doctor delivered a beautiful Acknowledgement of Country. And, Trent Lee from Larrakia Nation, provided a smoking ceremony for attendees.

Despite the high heat and humidity, this event had a fantastic turnout. Clinical team members enjoyed sitting and sharing a meal with people on dialysis and those who have had a kidney transplant. And, members of the much-respected Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Purple House also joined us.

The relaxed, collegial atmosphere encouraged helpful conversations around kidney health. The DonateLife NT team were very pleased to connect with attendees and provide donation information and popular merchandise. 

Dr Jaqui Hughes, a Torres Strait Islander woman and a Kidney Specialist Doctor at the Bush Tucker event smoking ceremony.

Oz Run 2026

A few members of the DonateLife NT team and their family chose to get up very early on Australia Day, Monday 26 January, to participate in the Darwin Oz Run. The team wore bright magenta DonateLife gear as well as cheerful smiles, despite the early hour. They had a fantastic time representing DonateLife during the 5km walking social event.

DonateLife NT Oz Run event with Nadine Tinsley, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator; and Lee Wood, Director DonateLife NT, and family members.

Belyuen Groove Festival

Following an invitation from a nurse working in the remote Belyuen community, the DonateLife NT team attended Groove Festival on Friday 30 January. 

Despite the heavy downpour, many community members enjoyed the music and food, and the opportunity to connect with a few select organisations, including DonateLife.

Given the need for Council approval for entry into this community, DonateLife NT were pleased to have the opportunity to make positive connections within the council and wider community. We also took the opportunity to speak with an Elder. 

Belyuen Council members enjoying the Belyuen Groove Festival.

Welcome to the Top End Expo

The Top End welcomed another influx of defence families with their annual expo on Saturday 7 February. The venue was at capacity with lots of stall holders and attendees. 

This event proved to be another exceptional opportunity to connect with various members of the public, including the newly arrived defence families. 

In addition to securing registrations and providing much appreciated merchandise, the DonateLife NT team also connected with family members who have been impacted by donation, and some interstate recipients.

Leigh Hill, Clinical Nurse Manager and Nadine Tinsley, Donation Specialist Nurse at the Welcome to the Top End Expo, talking with attendees.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

Queensland experienced an increase in donation and transplantation activity compared to 2024, with more families agreeing to donation.

Our regional teams were busy with around 50% of donations coming from outside the city. 

Despite a partnership with the Department of Transport and an anecdotal increase in brand saturation and community support throughout the year, registration continues to be a challenge.

Clinical updates

We congratulate Karen Jenner, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator from Bundaberg Hospital who was awarded the ‘Australia Day Values in Action Award’ from the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service. 

The award recognises health heroes who exemplify core values, support their colleagues and deliver on compassionate care for patients.

Karen Jenner, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator from Bundaberg Hospital receiving her award with Peta Jamieson, Chair of the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Board and Debbie Carroll, Chief Executive.

The newly opened North Queensland Kidney Transplant Service (NQKTS) at the Townsville University Hospital performed their first kidney transplant in late 2025. The recipient was 56-year-old Marj, who is a Townsville local and had autoimmune conditions since birth.

Dr Michelle Harfield leads the team at the NQKTS. They are treating local patients, and communities including Cairns, Mackay, Cape York, Torres Strait Islands and Mount Isa.

Community updates

In December 2025, we held our first in‑person social event with members of the Youth Advisory Group. The event provided an opportunity for members to build stronger connections and contribute ideas to enhance youth engagement. 

During the session, members identified local sporting clubs and social media influencers as key partners to help extend DonateLife messaging across youth‑focused platforms.

Heart recipients Jaylyn, Zac and Lucas are some of the members of our DonateLife QLD Youth Advisory Group.

Liver recipient Rob Parr, a dedicated ambassador for DonateLife QLD, was recognised this year in the Bundaberg Regional Council’s 2026 Australia Day Awards.

Rob was nominated in the Creative Citizen of the Year category for using his creativity as a powerful tool to create connection, healing and change. 

In addition to supporting DonateLife QLD at various events and our national forum, he is also a member of Brave Brothers – supporting resilience and mental health among men.

Rob’s first poetry book, Ramblings of an Untamed Mind, tracks his journey through life, chronic illness, and his gratitude to his donor.

Liver recipient Rob Parr speaking to his local Bundaberg community and raising awareness for mental health and organ donation.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

In 2025, 64 South Australian families agreed to organ donation as an exceptional act of generosity despite their own personal loss. Out of these intended donors, 35 were able to donate. 

Thanks to these donors and their families, 91 people received life-changing or life-saving transplants.

The number of South Australian donors in 2025 decreased by 20% compared with 2024. The increased number of intended donors is being reviewed internally with engagement from DonateLife, ICUs, and transplant teams. 

South Australia’s consent rate in 2025 was 54%, compared to 55% in 2024. The donor rate per million population (dpmp) also decreased to 18.4 in 2025, below the national average of 20.2. 

Rose Planting Ceremony

In November 2025, we held a successful Rose Planting Ceremony, which is South Australia’s Service of Remembrance honouring our donors and their families. 

The Service was held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, due to our usual garden not being available due to construction of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital. 

The event featured emotional speeches. These included South Australia’s Minister of Human Services, the Hon. Nat Cook MP, whose son was an organ and tissue donor. We also heard from Harish Gowda, whose dad was an organ and tissue donor, and Dr Sushil Kaur, who had a life-saving heart transplant. 

The Hon Nat Cook MP, Minister of Human Services, with Mr Harish Gowda – both donor family members.

South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and his wife Emma attended the ceremony as parents of organ donor Charlie Stevens. 

There were approximately 230 attendees who came to pay respect to their loved ones, or to say ‘thank you’ to their organ donors.

(From left to right): Grant Stevens, Commissioner of South Australia Police, and his wife Emma Stevens; Amanda Stewart, Acting Agency Manager; and Brett Sampson, Acting State Medical Director.

Priorities for the South Australian team

Our efforts to establish a volunteer program in South Australia are ongoing, with recruitment and onboarding initiatives steadily progressing. We aim to have the program fully established by end of March 2026.

Volunteers play an important role supporting community engagement activities, assisting at events, and providing educational outreach to local schools, workplaces, and community groups. This also allows DonateLife SA staff to focus on key operational and clinical activities while extending the reach of organ and tissue donation awareness across the state.

Education also continues to be a key focus for DonateLife SA. Last year, 2 new Education Coordinators joined the team, supporting ongoing delivery of school and community-based programs.

Our team continues to provide Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y) Program sessions, and targeted workshops for healthcare professionals. The Introductory Donation Awareness Training (IDAT) and Perioperative workshops commencing this month. 

These programs remain an important part of our work to promote informed decision-making and raise awareness of organ and tissue donation across South Australia.

We have placed a strong focus on team collaboration and information sharing through a series of workshops. The sessions provide clinical updates, allow discussion of particularly challenging cases, and include fun activities to bring the team together. 

Recent examples include a ‘Guess the Baby’ quiz and a Christmas-themed quiz. Workshops like this help build knowledge, improve communication, and foster a positive workplace culture.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

In Tasmania, there were 25 deceased organ donors in 2025. This was consistent with 2024, maintaining the highest number of donors achieved since the commencement of the DonateLife program. Thanks to the generosity of these donors and their families, 62 people received a transplant. 

Tasmania continued improving clinical activity, with our highest number of referrals at 186 – an increase of 10% on 2024. We also achieved a rate of 43.4 donors per million population and maintained the highest consent rate in Australia at 76%, greatly helped by donation specialist involvement leading family donation conversations.

Tasmania is committed to strengthening practice in hospitals and clinical engagement to build upon these strong foundations.

An update from a Janette Hall Scholarship recipient

Kate Gray, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator

In December 2025, I was the successful recipient of a Janette Hall Scholarship which funded my attendance at the Congress of the International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement (ISODP) in Kyoto.

The Congress program was an intense 4 days. It was motivating, inspiring and educational. Overwhelmingly, I found myself thankful for being part of DonateLife, with an even deeper respect for the incredible vision and historical work that founded the program we proudly facilitate in Australia.

Notably, a recurring theme emerged – one of trust. It was a good reminder of the varied environments we need to build and maintain trust. Trust of the community in the health care system and the law. Trust of the ICU and ED teams in the DonateLife coordinator role. And, trust of the donor family in communicating information. 

Many of the practices, values and behaviours relating to these elements of trust are already a strong focus of our national program, highlighting our best practice approach. 

I proudly represented DonateLife delivering an oral presentation, Uniquely Tasmanian – learnings from our island state, where I shared insights into our successful program amidst stunning photos of our island’s landscapes. Speaking at an international conference was a first for me – sharing impressive outcomes made it a bit easier.

Kate Gray, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator, DonateLife Tasmania, standing next to the sign for the Congress of the International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement (ISODP) in Kyoto.	Kate Gray, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator, DonateLife Tasmania, presenting at the Congress of the International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement (ISODP) in Kyoto.

Launch of the 2026 Transplant Games in Tassie

Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Rebecca White MP launched the Transplant Games in Launceston on Wednesday 28 January. Hosted by Transplant Australia, the games are held in Launceston from Saturday 26 September to Saturday 3 October. 

The games will see participation from recipients and their families in over 20 sports and events, and a featured event is the DonateLife fun run.

DonateLife is supporting the games by participating in the local engagement working group. 

DonateLife Tasmania is looking forward to the games in Launceston and it is a great way to build connections and promote the work of our organisation.

(From left to right) Davin Hibberd, Executive Officer DonateLife Tasmania; Tori Reynolds, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator, DonateLife Tasmania; The Hon. Rebecca White, Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing; and Ashlee Jones, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator, DonateLife Tasmania at the launch of the Transplant Games at Cataract Gorge in Launceston.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

Victoria finished 2025 strongly with 156 donors. A big thank you to our tireless Donation Specialist Nurses and Medical Donation Specialist teams for maximising organ donation opportunities in Victoria.  

With a referral rate of 96% and over 500 Family Donation Conversations (FDC) completed, we are confident that very few potential donors are missed. The mechanisms left to further increase donation in Victoria are through increasing consent and increasing the potential donor pool.  

Withdrawal of cardio-respiratory support in the theatre complex

Many hospitals have progressed consultations with key stakeholders to help align practice with other jurisdictions across the country. Observational evidence is clear that reducing warm ischemic time (in particular, the asystolic period) improves both retrieval and transplant outcomes. 

We’re working to ensure everything we do is patient and family centred. After good progress in simulations and stakeholder engagement, several centres are ready to go. We anticipate that with this shift in practice, actual familiarity will grow and ICU teams will adapt.

Expanding donation after Voluntary Assisted Dying

In 2025, we had our first metro retrieval from a donor after oral self-administration of Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) medication. It was a world-first donation.

Since then, our Family Communication Nursing Coordinator, Jess Amsden, has educated and supported teams across metro health services to provide donation after VAD, and supporting individuals who may choose this.

VAD is a topic of much discussion at international conferences, with experience and learning points being shared, despite our different operating environments. In Victoria, we expect 2026 will see more regional and metropolitan VAD-donation cases, with an estimated 10-15 cases per year looking reasonably likely.

Considerable media attention followed DonateLife Victoria’s first case of donation after Voluntary Assisted Dying, where in a world-first, Karen Duncan donated her organs after self-administering VAD drugs.

DonateLife Victoria consent strategy

To help lift Victora’s consent rate, DonateLife Victoria started rolling out a consent strategy in January.

Drawing on various Australian and international guidelines and benchmarks, the strategy covers 4 key areas for uplift: 

• reviewing our current system
• education and training
• data and research
• affirmative language.

Staff are given opportunities for development and rostered time to complete required training and refreshers. We will measure and report on all consent data (de-identified and aggregated) to identify themes and areas for uplift and professional development.

The strategy is a key pillar in efforts to increase Victoria’s consent rate from 50% to 60%, which would provide about 20 extra organ donors and up to 50 additional transplants annually.

2025 organ donation and transplantation data

DonateLife WA reached a record outcome of 61 deceased organ donors, up 33% from 46 donors in 2024. Thanks to these donors and their families, 170 organs were retrieved and transplanted.

Improvements were noted in achieving key performance indicators critical for donation conversation outcomes. Notably, a 73% involvement rate of Donation Specialist Nurses in conversations and a consent rate of 54% in 2025.

In total, WA had 254 actual donors (organ, tissue and/or eye), a 0.8% decrease compared to 2024. There were 13 intended donors (organ, tissue and/or eye), a 30% increase compared to 2024. Donation activity was slightly higher in the first half of 2025 compared to the second half.  

Service of Remembrance

On Sunday 16 November, coinciding with Thank You Day, DonateLife WA held the annual Service of Remembrance at the City of Perth Surf Life Saving Club. With over 250 people attending, the afternoon offered a time to reflect, remember, honour and thank all donors and their families for their selfless gift of life.

Donor family member Rodney Bridge shared a touching tribute to his beautiful son, and transplant recipient Kim Crotty offered heartfelt, words of gratitude to donors and their families.

DonateLife WA State Medical Director, Dr David Blythe and Fiona Stanley Hospital Cardiothoracic and Transplant Surgeon, Agneta Geldenhuys provided personal reflections and messages of thanks.

Families were invited to place their paper-heart messages on the Tree of Life. Then, there was a moving exchange of pink roses from transplant recipients Wendy Hawks and Glenda Rayment to donor families. 

Our MC, Verity James, once again generously supported the event with her warmth and guidance throughout the service. 

DonateLife WA Team at the Service of Remembrance.	(From left to right) Service of Remembrance Guest Speakers Dr Agneta Geldenhuys, Cardiothoracic and Transplant Surgeon at Fiona Stanley Hospital; Vaughn McGuire, Traditional Owner representing the Whadjuk Nyoongah People; Rodney Bridge, Donor Family Member and Kim Crotty, Transplant Recipient.

Community engagement

Last year, DonateLife WA sponsored the Breaths and Beats Ride, an event dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the Heart and Lung Research Institute of WA (HLRI WA). 

Among the inspiring participants was transplant recipient Colleen Ashby, who proudly led team DonateLife WA alongside a passionate group of cyclists and DonateLife volunteers and supporters. These combined efforts raised an astounding $470,000 for the HLRI WA.

DonateLife WA Breaths and Beats Ride (1) – Team DonateLife WA led by Colleen Ashby (pink tutu) outside the DonateLife marquee at the Breaths and Beats Ride.	DonateLife WA Breaths and Beats Ride (2) – Clinical Nurse Specialist, Penny Spicer at the Breaths and Beats Ride finish line.

Paid billboard advertising from DonateLife Week continues to generate strong added value, with ongoing bonus placements beyond the original campaign period. The latest value-add site on Albany Highway in Gosnells extends the campaign’s visibility at no additional cost.

JCDecaux bonus filler billboard on Albany Highway, Gosnells.

ICU Hospital Service Assistant, Steve, from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital took DonateLife to new heights. Decked out head to toe in DonateLife merch, he made a daring descent down Perth’s tallest building, Central Park Tower, raising awareness of organ and tissue donation.

Steve, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital ICU Hospital Service Assistant abseiling down Central Park Tower.

The OTA bid a sad farewell to data whiz Laura Gladkis in January. Laura has left a lasting legacy in the evolution of data collection, reporting and analytics at the OTA, having a significant impact on the National DonateLife Program. We wish her all the best on her next adventure.

Lucinda Barry, CEO of the OTA, with Laura Gladkis from the Analytics and Technology team.

In March, the OTA also bid farewell to our Chief Financial Officer, ‘Money’ Mark Saunders who has taken a role in the private sector. His wealth of knowledge and calm presence will be very much missed by us all. 

Congratulations to Tom Whitelaw, Education System Lead from the Clinical team and his partner Gemma on the arrival of their baby girl Isabel on Tuesday 27 January. We hope you’re all enjoying the newborn cuddles. 

Baby Isabel.

ACT

The start of 2026 has brought further stability to the Canberra Health Services (CHS) executive team. We welcomed the appointment of Paul Darcy as the new General Manager for Canberra Hospital and Alison Derrett as the new Chief Operating Officer for CHS.

NSW

Nicola Seifert has stepped down from the Clinical Manager role, with Cassandra Reed acting as Clinical Manager. 

Two Donation Specialist Coordinators, Emma Hyland and Tyrone Dallas, have commenced and are in training.  

Marilina Ripoll and Alyce Robinson have been seconded to the Executive Coordinator role.

NT

Donation Specialist Nurse Felicity Clyne began maternity leave in December and recently welcomed a lovely baby girl into the family.

The DonateLife NT team are pleased to welcome Tammy Knotts, who commenced working with us in early February. 

Tammy brings a wealth of experience, having worked most recently in the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Unit in the Centre for Disease Control in Darwin. She spent 18 years working in the ICU, has general remote-area nursing experience, has worked as a COVID-19 care coordinator and spent 4 years in the Top End Renal Services. Tammy has a post graduate diploma in ICU nursing and a Master of Health Management.

QLD

We farewelled Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator (DSNC) Jade, who moved from DonateLife to begin an exciting new chapter as a liver transplant coordinator at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH). We wish her every success in her new role.

We also said goodbye to Freya, Donation Specialist Nurse (DSN) at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and welcomed Tayla who has taken on the role.

Diane Murphy, our much‑loved Donor Family Support Coordinator, is currently on long service leave and will retire when she returns. For 10 years, Diane was initially a private clinician supporting our Queensland donor families. When the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) was formed, she officially joined DonateLife Queensland as our Donor Family Support Coordinator and remained in this role for 15 years.

She has supported countless families with compassion and care, and contributed enormously to DonateLife over the many years. She will be deeply missed. Her legacy will continue through her beautiful watercolour paintings of native Australian florals, which feature on the covers of our donor family support resources.

Diane Murphy, Family Support Coordinator and Bereavement Counsellor, in her office.

Jarod, an experienced ICU Nurse at Townsville University Hospital has joined our DonateLife Townsville team, working alongside Meagan and Bry.

Rebekka, has joined our DonateLife Queensland communications team, working part-time to assist in the delivery of our 2026 community engagement workplan. Previously part of the DonateLife South Australia agency, we welcome her knowledge and expertise, particularly in the volunteer and youth space.

SA

DonateLife SA farewelled Angely Bolzon from the Education Coordinator role and welcomed back Jo Brooks and Natalia Jastrzebski as Education Coordinators at the end of 2025. Both Jo and Nat bring extensive, valuable experience from the donation sector, transplant sector, and relevant clinical experience.

Jo Brooks, Education Coordinator, DonateLife SA.	Natalia Jastrzebski, Education Coordinator, DonateLife SA.

In December, Dr Stewart Moodie returned from leave to the South Australia State Medical Director role, whilst Dr Amy Sanguesa continues in the Deputy State Medical Director role.

In February, Deb Clothier returned in a part time capacity to her role of Admin Manager after a secondment in another government department. Sammy Byrt also moved from the role of Admin Manager and joined Camila Lumsden in the Communications and Community Engagement portfolio.

TAS

DonateLife TAS welcomed a few new faces over the past few months. Tori Reynolds is based at the Launceston General Hospital as a Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator (DSNC) who commenced in November 2025. Ashton Lovatt, also based in Launceston as a DSNC, commenced her role in January 2026. We also welcomed a new Medical Donation Specialist, David Rigg, who is based at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

In December we said farewell to Grace Southwell who is on parental leave. We wish Grace all the best with her new family member. Last month Ashlee Jones went on parental leave, and we wish her well as she becomes a new parent.

VIC

After 10 years of service, Phoebe Reid, our Community Engagement Coordinator, finished up in December 2025 and we wish her all the best for her future. 

The Service of Remembrance 2025 marked a close to Phoebe Reid’s 10 years of service at DonateLife Victoria.

Grace Phillips has come on board as our new Community Engagement Coordinator, and we are all excited and looking forward to working with Grace in 2026 and beyond.

Grace is a community engagement professional with a background in the Education sector, specialising in philanthropy, large-scale events, and stewardship. She brings extensive experience in building meaningful partnerships, fostering donor relationships, and delivering impactful community initiatives. With a strong interest in data and process improvement, Grace focuses on creating efficient, insight-driven systems that enhance engagement. She is looking forward to growing the Victoria volunteering program and making meaningful connections across the community.

Outside of work, Grace’s hobbies include hiking and travel, singing with local bands, cooking, and finding the best sandwiches around Melbourne, as pictured below. Check out Pazzo Panini in Moonee Ponds – in Grace’s words, ‘They are EPIC!’
 

DonateLife Victoria welcomes Grace Phillips, our new Community Engagement Coordinator.	A person stands outdoors under leafy green trees, wearing a light grey blazer over a dark top. The background is softly blurred, showing hints of a pathway and greenery.

WA

DonateLife WA (DLWA) feel very fortunate to have Andrew Young join us from DonateLife Victoria (DLV) for the past few months as a Donation Specialist Coordinator. Andrew brought a wealth of experience and knowledge, and we feel very grateful to Andrew and the DLV management team for supporting this request.

We would also like to sincerely thank Chloe Pitos for stepping into the role of Acting Agency Manager. Her leadership, support and guidance during this time have been greatly appreciated.

We’re pleased to welcome 2 new Donation Specialist Coordinators - May-Lin Doust and Lauren Pickett, as we farewelled Trish Denton and Melanie Boardman. We wish them all the best in their new roles.

May-Lin brings almost 10 years of extensive acute care experience, primarily in the ICU, combining clinical expertise with leadership, mentoring, and patient advocacy initiatives. Outside of work, May-Lin maintains her fitness and focus through boxing conditioning classes.

Lauren brings dedicated and compassionate experience from Fiona Stanley Hospital’s ICU. Outside of work Lauren enjoys travelling to new destinations, has big compassion for animals, and loves immersing in books.

Sam Harris joins us from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Palliative Care Service, bringing experience in end-of-life and bereavement support. She looks forward to joining our Donor Family Support Coordinator part-time, supporting donor families and enhancing awareness of organ and tissue donation. In her down time, Sam loves the art of micro-nurturing, including hitting the sauna and cold plunge.

In addition, we are delighted to welcome Cathleen Santosa to the DLWA team as Administrative Officer, providing support to the clinical team.

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