Sharing Your Heart (and Kidneys and Liver...)

As a young child, I was in and out of hospitals having all sorts of tests. At least three to four times a year, before finally having an operation on my kidneys when I was just six years old.

I was aware from a very young age that our organs are precious so when my mum sat me down when I was eight to discuss organ donation I said yes. As soon as I was legally able to register, my name was put on that register list.

Had I not had an operation, had I not had the tests that made doctors aware...my kidneys would have eventually started to shut down. Doctors said that had I not had my operation I would not have lived past the age of sixteen. At the age of 21, I am grateful for the access we have to medical knowledge here in Australia.

However, if none of this had happened I could have been on one of those lists...just waiting for someone to donate their organs.

My mum has always taught me to share what I have with others and I see organ and tissue donation as the ultimate sharing.

Imagine, if you could help save a life.

And not just one life but up to ten lives.

And improve the lives of even more simply by signing up to be an organ donor.

You don’t have to imagine. You can do it.

To sign up all you have to do is head to the Australian Organ Donor Register and click register online. Simple.

I have talked about my views and wishes for organ and tissue donation with my family. Considering the final consent is given to families it is important that they are clear on what your wishes are.

My mum has always been an organ donor and so shall I.

I encourage all of my friends and family to consider organ donation and to register. It saddens me to hear that Australia has one of the lowest donation rates in the developing world. Let’s change that.

When I think of the people on the waiting list, they are someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, friend, cousin...what would you do if it was your family?

Organ and tissue donation has always been something that I have been passionate about and I think that it is important that we raise awareness and get more conversations going about donation.

The FilmLife Blogger Challenge asks the interesting question: if you were to donate your organs, which one would you love to donate and why?

Personally, I put my hand up to donate whatever can be used to help save a life. I think from my early childhood my kidneys are probably too scarred to be useful to anyone though.

Overall I would like to share my eyes and my heart.

If someone could see the world through my eyes, I can think of no other word to describe it but a miracle. As a crafter, reader and musician I cannot imagine a world without sight. So I hope that one day someone may share the world through my eyes.

As for my heart, it is a heart filled with compassion, strength and full of love for the world and its people. If that could be the last gift I was to give to someone, it would make me very happy.

So do you think you could share your heart...or liver...or kidneys...?

If you would like more information, please take a look at the following links:

Australian Organ Donor Register

Donate Life

FilmLifeBlogger Challenge