DonateLife

27/03/2026

A routine doctor’s visit turned Jeff’s life upside down in his twenties, when he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure. Thanks to his father generously donating a kidney, Jeff has since gotten married, had children and is living life to the fullest every day 🌟

This video was created by Why Documentaries for DonateLife, as part of a Community Awareness Grant. You can also watch it with Chinese subtitles at youtube.com/

25/03/2026

Organ and tissue donation wouldn’t be possible without all the incredible people who make it happen. Read more about how ACT Police are helping us change lives everyday 🌟

Every year, thousands of lives are changed thanks to the generosity of organ donors.

Last year, ACT Policing assisted in 12 donation transports, escorting organs and medical teams to the hospital and airport.

Up to seven lives can be saved by a single donor.

When an organ becomes available for transplant, every second is critical. Police escorts help ensure that medical personnel and life-changing organs can make it to the patient as quickly as possible.

To find out more, visit: https://www.donatelife.gov.au/

25/03/2026

Organ donation changed Lucy and Arthur’s lives forever 🩷 read more of their incredible story in the link below 🌟

23/03/2026

In 2021, Patrick learned he had inherited a genetic condition that causes kidney failure. Despite the diagnosis, he continued living life to the fullest. He started his own business, raised a family, kept up with fishing, and supported his local church.

But 2 years later, Patrick began feeling the effects of kidney failure. His kidney function dropped to 14% and doctors told him he would likely wait 3 years for a transplant.

Luckily just 11 weeks into dialysis, Patrick received the life-changing call that a donor kidney was available.

‘Dialysis helped, but receiving a kidney changed everything. I could travel overseas, manage my businesses, and feel fit and healthy again,’ said Patrick.

Patrick is the 8th person in his family, including his brother, to receive a kidney transplant. His experience has made him passionate about raising awareness.

‘Having a transplant changed my life and my family’s. It’s so important to register as an organ and tissue donor, talk to your family, and help raise awareness.’

Read Patrick’s full story here: www.donatelife.gov.au/donation-stories/patrick-had-kidney-transplant

20/03/2026

When he was 6 years old, Hussein was diagnosed with nephronophthisis, and his kidney function began declining. At 7 years old, Hussein was put on the waitlist for a donor kidney and waited 4 years before he had a life-saving transplant.

If every Australian currently registered as an organ donor asked just one friend to register, there could be an additional 7.8 million people registered as organ and tissue donors ✨

The majority of Australians support organ and tissue donation, but only 36% of the eligible population are registered to be a donor.

Share this post and encourage just one person to register as an organ and tissue donor today. Registering is easy and only takes one minute at www.donatelife.gov.au 🩷

19/03/2026

Monash Health has recently purchased a new device that is improving kidney transplant access across Victoria and Tasmania 🙌

To find out more, check out Monash Health's post below 🌟

A new world-leading kidney transport device is helping improve kidney transplant access and outcomes across Victoria and Tasmania.

The purchase of the kidney perfusion machine was possible thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donation from a local family and has already contributed to a successful transplant at Monash Health 💙

The machine uses the power of oxygen to protect and restore the organ during transport between the donor and the recipient, improving viability, and enhancing peri-transplant care. Studies have demonstrated its game-changing benefits over the standard ‘icebox’ technique.

Affectionately named ‘James’, the device has joined 2 other machines already active in the state kidney transplant program. It is supporting DonateLife Victoria to grow capacity and optimise outcomes for patients on the kidney transplant waiting list.

This exciting program aims to assist in the transport of around 100 kidneys across Victoria this year alone 🚑

‘It is only with the incredible support of our donors that we have been able to re-imagine care for our patients,’ said Professor John Kanellis, the Head of Nephrology at Monash Health.

‘With their help, we can continue to lead the future of nephrology care, working with our partners across donation, retrieval and transplant services to improve and save even more lives.’

To read more about the new technology and donation, please visit the link in comments.

18/03/2026

Steve took DonateLife to new heights!

Decked out head-to-toe in DonateLife gear, the passionate supporter made a daring descent down Perth’s tallest building – Central Park Tower – to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation last year.

You don’t need ropes or a harness to save up to 7 lives – just register to be an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au

16/03/2026

In 2025, 53% of families consented to donation in the hospital. We are eternally grateful to those families for giving Australians on a waitlist for an organ transplant a second chance at life 🫶

In Australia, donation won’t go ahead unless your family agrees. If your family knows you want to be a donor, they’re much more likely to agree.

In fact, around 8 in 10 families agree to donation in the hospital if their family member is registered. Only 4 in 10 families agree to donation when they don’t know if their family member wanted to be a donor.

That’s why it’s so important to register and talk to your family about donation.

It’s easy to register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au or through Medicare. Then, tell your family you want to be a donor.

11/03/2026

It’s World Kidney Day! In 2025 in Australia, there were 865 kidney transplants from deceased donors, and 230 kidney transplants from living donors 🩷

We want to thank all donors, donor families, people who have had a transplant and Kidney Health Australia for raising awareness of kidney health.

There are still roughly 14,000 people on dialysis in Australia, many who would benefit from a kidney transplant.

Register as an organ donor and talk to your family about organ donation. Visit www.donatelife.gov.au to register now ✨

08/03/2026

This International Women’s Day we’re celebrating the strength, resilience and compassion of women who make a difference every day — women like Sue Banks.

After the heartbreaking and unexpected loss of her daughter Shelley, Sue found comfort knowing that Shelley saved 5 lives as an organ donor. But what stayed with Sue the most was the emptiness she felt when she walked away from her daughter’s side with nothing left of her to hold onto.

‘Thinking about it later, I thought all these people who become organ donors, their family must feel the same way as they leave them,’ said Sue.

In honour of Shelley — who had just discovered a love for quilting — Sue founded Shelley's Hearts, a Tasmanian charity that creates handmade quilts for families of organ donors 🧵💖

‘Quilts are very comforting things. You can put them around you, and they can comfort you. They can bring joy with colour,’ said Sue. ‘There is something about that in your saddest time. If you can help one person, I think it will bring a little bit of light into your soul.’

Over the past 6 years, Shelley’s Hearts has created around 40–50 quilts each year for donor families. Sue hopes to one day expand nationally, spreading comfort and kindness to families across Australia 💛

Women’s Day and Tissue Donation families

06/03/2026

Most Australians support organ and tissue donation, but only 35% of us are registered.

One organ donor can save up to 7 people and change the lives of many more through eye and tissue donation. So, if you want to be an organ and tissue donor, take a minute to register today and let your family know. Your family is twice as likely to agree to donation if they know you want to be a donor at the end of your life.

Register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au or through Medicare. Then, tell your family you want to be a donor.

03/03/2026

Very few people can become an organ donor.

Here’s the break down in numbers: 👇

🏥 Each year around 89,000 people die in Australian hospitals, but not all of them can be considered for organ donation.

🩷 Last year only around 1,670 people died in a way that organ donation could be considered.

✅ of those, 1,500 families were asked about donation and 790 said yes.

🤗 This resulted in 557 people becoming donors.

With such a small number of potential donors, it’s so important to register. And, tell your family you want to be a donor so they know what you want at the end of your life.

Take a look at all the 2025 donation and transplantation data: donatelife.gov.au/data