2021 was a record-breaking year for new organ donor registrations with around 350,000 Australians joining the Australian Organ Donor Register (AODR), up 87% on 2020, however new data reveals the urgent need for more Aussies to register as organ and tissue donors. 

As well as the 1,750 seriously ill people on Australia's organ transplant waitlist, there are another 13,000 people on dialysis who may benefit from a kidney transplant. 

Importantly, in 2021 there was a 9% decrease in the number of deceased donors and a 7% decrease in the number of people receiving a transplant compared to 2020.

DonateLife Week began today Sunday 24 July marking the start of The Great Registration Race which has set an ambitious target for new donors to come forward.  

“Right now in Australia there are 13 million people aged 16 and over who are eligible to register as organ and tissue donors – but haven’t," said Danielle Fisher, General Manager, NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service . 

“Turning that number around starts with every single person who registers this DonateLife Week." 

"We’re aiming to get 100,000 more Australians signed on as organ and tissue donors and to give hope to the 1,750 Australians currently on the waitlist for an organ transplant." 

Becoming an organ donor is actually rare – only around 2% of people who die in hospital have the opportunity to become an organ donor, and families will always be asked to consent to donation.

Nine out of 10 families give consent when their family member was registered to be a donor, but this drops to 4 out of 10 when a family didn’t know their loved one wanted to be a donor.

One organ donor can save up to seven lives and help many more through eye and tissue donation as donation is possible in more situations including up to 24 hours after death.

Around 41% of people in New South Wales are registered to be organ and tissue donors, a figure above the national average of 36%. 

Some local government areas have smashed the state average and DonateLife released a list of the high achievers. 

Interestingly, Unincorporated NSW, which includes the areas without local government - Far West NSW and Lord Howe Island - has an estimated 56% of people who are registered as an organ donor. 

The top five NSW LGAs with the highest rates of registration are Bellingen (55%), Blue Mountains (54%), Mosman (54%), Ballina (53%) and Eurobodalla (53%). 

In the small towns across the Western Plains the highest rates are in the Warrumbungle Shire (50%) and the Walgett and Lachlan shires (48%) while the lowest rates are Gilgandra shire (36%) and Brewarrina shire (20%). 

Data sources: Services Australia (AODR) and ABS (population).  

While even the commitment within our smaller more remote communities is commendable, the demand for organs has never been greater and the number available still doesn't match the need. 

A recent poll of 60,000 Australians (ABC Talks 2021) showed 4 out of 5 say they’d be willing to donate their organs when they die.  

"In NSW, we need everyone — or at least that 4 out of 5 who are willing to donate — to register to be an organ and tissue donor," Ms fisher said.   

"The problem isn’t that Australians are against organ and tissue donation – it’s that they don’t know how to, don’t think they’re healthy enough or simply haven’t got around to it." 

It only takes one minute to register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au or just three taps in your Express Plus Medicare app. You can also use these channels to check and make sure you’re registered.  

Any Australian aged 16 and over can sign up online. It doesn't matter how old you are, your medical history, your lifestyle, what country you’re from or how healthy you are – you can still register as an organ and tissue donor. 

DonateLife Week runs from today, Sunday 24 July, until next Sunday 31 July.