When a Donor Coordinator for LifeGift at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service hears the sound of their beeper, they know someone has died.

They also know that someone else has a new chance at life.

There are in fact many people who know too well this double-edged sword: that new life can spring from death; that organ donation is an extraordinary gift.

It’s an issue that everyone needs to consider.

For a start, you need to decide whether you will ‘tick the box’ when you apply for or renew your licence – to donate or not to donate? The reality of your own death may seem distant now, but your choice when filling in that licence form can make an amazing difference.

Your organs can prolong or enhance life for a surprising number of individuals: the heart and heart valves, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and corneas (eyes) are all potentially useful for transplanting.

Remember, while you can change your details with the RTA at any time regarding organ and tissue donation, if you have ticked ‘No’ in the box on your driver licence application or licence renewal form you will not be eligible for organ donation under NSW law.

There are four State Donor Coordinators from LifeGift at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service who coordinate the organ and tissue donation process in hospitals throughout NSW and the ACT.

All are highly skilled registered nurses whose job is wide-ranging. Donor Coordinators ensure that all legal, procedural and ethical requirements are fulfilled and that the deceased donor and the donor family are always treated with dignity and respect.

Two of the four coordinators are on-call at any time, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. They could be anywhere when the call comes in that a potential donor is available. Then their work starts in earnest.

They first obtain as much information as possible about the deceased donor and his or her health including health tests, blood tests and x-rays. They then stay in constant contact with the various medical teams responsible for the different kinds of transplants, attempting to match blood types, tissue types, the size of the organs and other factors.

There is often an urgent dash in a helicopter, chartered plane or under police road escort. The timeframe for transplanting organs is quite limited – once blood flow has stopped, the team has only four to six hours to transplant the heart and lungs.

The coordinator stays with the donor throughout the procedure – including in the operating theatre – to ensure that all wishes and requests of the donor and their family are carried out.

Coordinators keep in touch with donor families after the operation, including advising on progress of the transplant recipients (whose identities remain anonymous) and offering bereavement support. Part of that support includes a Remembrance Service held every year for everyone touched by organ donation.

The myths

It will cost my family money if I become a donor
All organ donations in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT are coordinated by the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. There is no charge to the family. Strict legal and ethical guidelines protect the interests of organ donors, their families and transplant recipients.

It will not happen to me
In Australia, you are 10 times more likely to require a transplant than to become a donor. Less than one per cent of all deaths occur in such a way that organ donation is medically possible.

I am too old or too young
Anyone, of any age, can decide to be an organ or tissue donor. There is no age limit for corneal (eye) donations and those over 75 years can donate livers or kidneys.

I might still be alive
Most organ donors are people who have died in hospital while attached to a ventilator. Death under these circumstances is determined by the absence of any brain function: this means the brain has died. Death cannot be reversed.

A death certificate is issued following tests carried out by two senior specialists who are not involved in transplantation, before organ donation is considered.

My organs might be used for research
A person’s decision to help other people by transplantation does not permit the removal of organs for any other purpose. To donate organs/tissues for science or research, separate and specific consent must be given.

It has nothing to do with my family
Once you have registered as an organ or tissue donor, it is vital to talk to your family. This is because, in the event of your death, your family would be asked to give written consent for donation to proceed. Consent is never presumed.

Nobody else I know would donate
A recent national survey revealed that a whopping 94 per cent of all Australians approve of organ and tissue donation. Almost half of all Australians have taken some steps to indicate their willingness to donate. They may have indicated this on their driver licence or by registering with the Australian Organ Donor Registry, or they may carry a donor card – as well as informing their family.

It is against my religion
The majority of the world’s religions openly support organ/tissue donation for transplantation and encourage individual choice but you should check if you have any doubts.

You cannot choose which organs to donate
You can choose to donate all of your organs or select which ones you are prepared to donate.

For more information about organ and tissue donation, please visit the LifeGift website at www.organdonor.com.au, or telephone (02) 9229 4003.

A few facts about organ donation

• In Australia there are around 1,800 people on the organ transplant list waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and many more waiting for tissue transplantation. Just under half of all patients waiting for an organ transplant live in NSW.
• One in five patients on waiting lists will die before they can receive a life saving transplant.
• There is no age limit for the donation of some organs and tissues. Your age and medical history are considered at the time of donation.
• Transplanted organs include the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, and pancreas.
• Tissue includes corneas, skin, bone and heart valves.
• As many as 10 people can benefit from the organ and tissue donation of just one person.
• There is a 10 times greater chance that you will need a transplant in your lifetime than ever be in a position of donor.
• Australia has one of the highest transplant success rates in the world.
• Two thousand people are newly diagnosed with renal failure each year.
• Since 1965, more than 30,000 Australians have received organ and tissue transplants.

Where can I register?
If you decide to become an organ donor, register your consent at the Australian Organ Donor Register by calling 1800 777 203 or on your NSW RTA licence application or renewal form if you are applying for or renewing a driver licence. You can also visit the website, www.medicareaustralia.gov.au and register online.