With organ donor registrations down 10% on the Central Coast, DonateLife NSW is urging residents to talk to their families about organ donation and sign up to the Australian Organ Donor Registry (AODR).
In 2024, NSW saw an 11% drop in new organ donor registrations compared to 2023, with new registrations on the Central Coast down from 2,514 in 2023 to 2,269 last year.
Most Local Government Areas (LGAs) are going backwards in new organ donor registrations, a troubling trend when more than 1,800 Australians are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, and 14,000 more are on dialysis due to kidney failure.
While four in five Australians support organ donation, only 36% nationally and 41% in NSW are registered.
Registration is the strongest predictor of family consent in hospital.
When a loved one is registered, families are more likely to honour that decision, giving others the chance to live.
Despite a small increase in the number of deceased donors in NSW in 2024, low registration and consent rates remain a major barrier to helping more people receive transplants.
This is evident in many LGAs, including the Central Coast, where fewer people are signing up to the register each year.
Australia’s annual DonateLife Week runs from Sunday, July 27, until Sunday, August 3.
DonateLife NSW Co-State Medical Director Elena Cavazzoni said for those on the waitlist, acquiring a new organ can be a matter of life and death.
“We know the biggest barrier to families saying ‘yes’ to donation is not knowing their family wanted to be a donor,” she said.
“Your family will always be asked to support your decision before organ or tissue donation goes ahead.
“They are much more likely to agree if they know you want to be a donor.
“Our dedicated organ donation teams across NSW do everything they can to ensure no opportunity for donation is missed.
“But the truth is, there just aren’t enough registered donors to meet the growing need for transplants.
“To register as an organ and tissue donor you must be aged 16 or over and have a Medicare card.
“You can register as an organ and tissue donor regardless of your medical history or lifestyle.”
To find options for registration, go to www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/australian-organ-donor-register
