Organ and tissue donations
Last week I was privileged to attend the Donor Families Australia Conference in Canberra.
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This was a great opportunity to meet fellow donor families, professionals working in the field and, most of all, to interact with organ and tissue recipients.
While "only" a mum who has lost a daughter, I have returned with some issues I would like to share:
1. It is most important to have discussed the issues with family members so they do not have to make a monumental decision at a time of intense trauma and grief. Knowing your wishes will make a lot of difference.
2. If you are a registered donor, make it known you want to donate tissues as well as organs. An organ donor may help, say, eight people, however the number jumps to about 80 with tissue also. While the tissue may not necessarily be life-saving, it will enable many people greater hope of a better life. Tissues need not be used immediately and can be stored for future usage.
3. It seems there is a need for more uniform policies between states. Why can't we have an Australia-wide policy?
4. Most donor families and organ and tissue recipients seem to agree there needs be better avenues for communication between the parties if both are willing.
I am pleased to hear my daughter's organ recipients are going well, a young boy has his sight and her tissues are being used in various ways. This is the only consolation in losing a precious, much loved, healthy young woman.
Please have the discussion with your families and visit Donate Life to register online or forms are available from DHS offices.
Gail Cantwell, Kennington
E-waste in our community
I am a year eight student at Sacred Heart College, Kyneton. During term three I have been looking into e-waste (electronic waste; old phones, computers, microwaves, etc which are broken or no longer needed) and how can we recycle it.
I have seen in my school that only 10 per cent of the students recycle e-waste, while 90 per cent of people just keep old electronic waste.
I wanted to make people aware or change their attitudes towards e-waste or at least.
Keeping e-waste in the cupboard isn't a good attitude towards old, working or not, electronic devices. If lots of people are holding their e-waste then there is chance that this could be harmful to others.
I think that more people show know about the issues with e-waste and what they should do with it.
If people have e-waste in their house it can't be recycled normally, it has to be taken to a transfer station or an e-waste recycling centre.
Nicolas Hanna, Kyneton
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