1. Title of presentation Title of presentation
Understanding Organ and Tissue Donation
Title of presentation
The purpose of this presentation is to provide you the audience with an update as to why the subject of organ and tissue donation should be raised as part of the family’s dialogue and routine discussions regarding family members decision to become donors.
Twanny Farrugia
A fortunate life – A kidney transplant’s life journey
Transplanted St Vincent Hospital
22nd October 1971

2. DONATE LIFE VICTORIA Gift of Life
Country with highest success and lowest donate rate in the world.
Waiting lists
Donation rate 2012
Australian families have final decision on organ and tissue donation
Donor & own family experience regarding Organ & Tissue Donations.
Percentage of Australians registered as Organ and Tissue Donors – Consent of approval by families
The gift of life can keep up to more then 10 people alive through organ transplants of kidney, heart, lungs, pancreas, liver and intestines and tissue transplants of corneas, heart values, skin, bones, tissues
Aust highest success transplant rate, lowest donor rate in the world
1600 on Waiting lists for transplants from 6 months to 4 years
2012 Rate 554 donors – donated 1052 – highest rate since National records began
Family can say no – only 43% discussed OID
Donor an down Families stated easier to donate if they know their loved ones wishes prior to their death to donate
. Some 79% of Aust are organ donors while 76% are tissue donors, yet consent by families for donation on death drops to 60%
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3. Why do people need transplants?
Bad People
Inherent Genetic Diseases
Cardiomyopathy
Cystic Fibrosis
Bilary Atresia
Congenital Heart Disease
Eye Disease/Trauma
Body trauma/organs shut down
Skin grafts (ie Bali Bombing)
Myth In community think only bad people who smoke too much, too much parties, drugs, alcohol, sex etc.
Seriously though mainly due to inherent genetic disease
C) heath transplants
Lungs
Liver, children especially suffer from this
Discuss current PM Kevin Rudd had two heart value replacements due to childhood rhumethaic fever
Eye trauma, or disease needing corneal tx
Body trauma or organ shut down for any reason needing tx
Skin tx due to burns
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4. Who can become an organ & tissue donor?
Anyone and every one
Medical Assessment
Cultural Approval
Main stream Religious Approval
No age, or health barriers, 2012 an 83 YO male donated his liver
medical exam done prior donation to ascertain if organs are suitable and healthy
Leaders all have approved
Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism all mainstream except for Shinto and Romany gypsies due to evil permeating organs and tissues, believe evil permeates all organs and tissues after tx. (Source NDS Nina Mao). We need to respect their religious views irrespective of what our own views are.
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5. Discover the facts about organ and tissue donation
What can you do?
Discover the facts about organ and tissue donation
Decide and register your informed donation decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register (
Discuss your decision with those close to you and know one another’s wishes.
Talk to your community leaders, doctors, perhaps you know an organ donor or recipient, talk with your religious leaders, friends, research on the internet or any where you can get info about organ and tissue donations from some one you trust. Remember the more info you have the better as KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Once you have made an informed decision about becoming an organ and tissue donor, find out how to register, what organs you can or wish to specify to donate, can you change your mind, you can register on the Australian Organ Donor Register at any Medicare branch or on Medicare website.
And the most important thing you can do, is to discuss your donation decision with your family and close friends. It’s also important that you know their donation wishes so that you are prepared to confirm their decision, should the situation ever arise. Talk about other donor family as well as our own about our experiences. How easy it is to donate if your family member have informed you. Talk how I and my family felt when being asked to donate my fathers organs and even though we were very aware found it difficult. Compare this to a family who hasn’t discussed it. Remind people that when grieving as a general rule of thumb people are generally between the age of 8 to 15 and we all know people in that age bracket would find it difficult to make a life changing decision especially while grieving for a loved one who may have died in a very traumatic way.
NB It is recommended that you provide leave-behind DonateLife factsheets and the DonateLife-Australian Organ Donor Register brochures.

6. Twanny’s Life’s Philosophy
These aren’t my own original concepts but appropriated from some thing I read or spoken to other people
1 Enjoy life it is the only one we have and no one will get out of this life alive. Dala Lama
2 We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. Annon.
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7. Questions? www.donatelife.gov.au
That brings me to the end of my presentation, I like to thank you for allowing me the privilege of sharing part of my life journey with you. Prior to answering your questions please feel free to take any of the Donate Life pamphlets and please let others know if you are a member of any organisation needing a free public speaker to take one of my flyers with all my contact details.
Version December 2010 7

8. For More Information
Twanny Farrugia Mob: ====================================== DonateLife Victoria Web Site: Tel: Kidney Health Australia Web Site: Tel:
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