After their 10-month-old baby Sebby died from a rare epileptic condition in 2018, locals Edwina and Ant Symonds made the life-changing decision to donate his organs.
"The choice was easy for us, we felt that the tragedy and pain of losing our baby had to mean something. Allowing a part of him to go to someone else means that on that day, our sadness was counteracted by someone else's happiness," said Edwina.
But organ donation is rare in Australia, which has a registration 'opt-in' system, unlike many other nations where the 'opt-out' system ensures that this conversation is more broadly recognised. The circumstances that lead to a donation need to be perfectly aligned and time plays a significant role in the process.
Less than two per cent of Australians who die in hospital will be eligible to donate. Of the approximately 140,000 Australians who died in 2020, there were only 463 deceased organ donors.
Edwina said that there were many reasons that some chose not to donate, and no judgment in place in the hospital system. "But at the same time, many healthy, thriving organs are missing out on new homes because of the way our system plays out," she said. "Thousands of people are waiting for a single life-changing phone call, waiting for an organ."
Sebby's tiny kidneys were fused together and moved into an adult who had been suffering on dialysis for many years. Within hours of the transplant, the recipient's body started to fuel itself again. Donor and recipient families are not legally connected throughout this process and the Symonds' say that while they never heard back from their recipient family, that doesn't take away from how they feel about organ donation.
"We don't need to know who they are or what they do," Ant said. "We take comfort in knowing that Seb is a hero and gave them some of his froth and vitality, so they could live their best life. A little bit of his energy still roams this planet and makes a difference".
Adds Edwina: "Organ donation is such an extraordinary gift that we can offer others, and is a conversation that, if had more openly, could change many more lives across Australia. Checking your own registration and having open an discussion with your family about your wishes will help change the tide on the low numbers of donations."
- This year, the focus of Donate Life week (July 25 - August 1) is to encourage 100,000 Australians to confirm or set up their registration to become an organ and tissue donor. The process is simple, you only need your Medicare card to check. Register to be an organ and tissue donor here