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CONFESSION: My organ donation form sat on the kitchen table for months.
This little girl never left that all-important organ donation form on the kitchen table.
I spoke to my wife about the importance of organ donation and my desire to get involved.
We knew the value of such a commitment.
My wife went and got a form to fill out and placed it on the kitchen table.
That's where it sat.
And sat.
And sat.
And sat.
Where is that form now? Sorry, couldn't tell you.
I suspect the form ended up where most things do that grow stale on the kitchen table - on top of the filing cabinet. Yes, not in the filing cabinet... on top. Not painting a very good picture here.
The form could have been thrown out in the end - how tragic that would have been.
It's an embarrassing confession but I wonder how many people out there have done the same... started with such great intentions but just not followed through by filling out that form.
Thankfully, there are many Australians who aren't as lazy as me - In 2013, 391 organ donors gave 1122 Australians a new chance in life.
But we need look no further than the 1532 people waiting for a life-saving transplant as you read this paragraph for proof that it's vital to keep building that organ donor database.
We were all touched by the Courtney Keast story.
It's never easy for any community when the life of one so young is taken in such tragic circumstances.
Such events remind us of how fragile life can be.
Courtney Keast was better than me.
This little girl never left that all-important organ donation form on the kitchen table.
No, she showed enormous maturity, perhaps well beyond her years, to form a solid view on the issue of organ donation and follow that through.
She had the courage to share that view with her mother, impress the importance of her decision on her family and pledge herself to help others.
Sadly, Courtney lost her life but her quest to put the welfare of others high on her priority list has already saved four lives - two little girls, a boy and a grandmother.
It's an honour for the Bendigo Advertiser to have the opportunity to help Courtney's mum Jodie and little sister Maddie on their journey to spread the organ donation message and raise awareness of the issue.
It would be wonderful to think Courtney's Quest could find 1532 new organ donors in the next 30 days - one to recognise every person on that life-saving transplant waiting list in Australia.
Well, make that 1531.
Rest assured I won't be leaving that organ donation form on the kitchen table this time around.
What about you?