NEWS STORY: Beccky celebrates organ donation

COURTNEY'S QUEST: All you need to know about the campaign

BENDIGO'S Beccky Johns is healthy now, but will rely on an organ donor to save her life again in the future. 

Beccky, 21, has a genetic disorder that causes her kidneys to fail.

She has received a kidney from her mum and dad in the past. 

And after reaping the benefits of organ donation, she is backing Courtney's Quest. 

There are 1532 people  waiting for a life-saving transplant in Australia - 1087 of those are waiting for a kidney. 

Some people will die waiting - 300 Australians did between 2007 and 2010.

Courtney's Quest honours the memory of Kyneton girl Courtney Keast who was passionate about organ donation and saved four lives after becoming the victim of a boating accident in January.

''Why wouldn't you?'' was Courtney's philosophy.

For Beccky, waiting meant being confined to a small sterile room at home, away from her friends and family, as she was hooked up to a dialysis machine for 10 hours every day. 

Beccky said she missed out on so many things as a result, but after years of struggle, she can finally decide what to do with her life. 

"When you're on dialysis, life isn't really worth living - you can't really do anything. But now I'm just like any other 21-year-old and I'm so grateful," she said. 

"It's scary to think about what's going to happen to your body after you die but if you're going to die, why not save a life if you can."

So far 10 people have become new organ donors since the Bendigo Advertiser launched Courtney's Quest on Saturday.

To read more about Courtney's Quest, visit www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au and click on the Courtney's Quest - campaign details story in editor's picks.

Visit www.donorregister.gov.au to become an organ donor.