A BENDIGO-based donation specialist is encouraging community members to register as organ and tissue donors this DonateLife Week.
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DonateLife Victoria nurse donation specialist Holly Bradstreet, who is based at Bendigo Health hoped this week would help start difficult conversations between loved ones.
"It's an important awareness campaign to help promote the importance of donating or registering to donate," she said.
"It's important because we have a huge amount of people on our list, who are waiting for organ transplants to either save or improve their life."
There are currently 1800 Australians on the transplant waiting list, while an additional 12,000 people are on dialysis for kidney failure.
In 2020, there were 1040 people in Greater Bendigo who registered to be an organ donor.
"It's really important to register your intention and it's a simple way of making your family aware of your wishes, just in case you were to die unexpectedly," Ms Bradstreet said.
"Generally these families are going through a really hard time and this is one way people can make things a little easier for their family so they don't have to make that decision on their behalf."
Ms Bradstreet said there was a decrease in organ and tissue donation and transplantation during 2020 due to COVID-19.
She said DonateLife are now aiming to get 100,000 more people to join the Australian Organ Donor Register during this campaign.
Ms Bradstreet has been in her role for close to four months now and said she enjoys educating people around the power of donation.
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"I am new to the organ donation role at Bendigo Health, my role involves a great deal of community awareness on the issue," she said.
"I also help provide support and information to hospital staff, and I also review and auditing for donate life"
Anyone aged 16+ can register, it only takes one minute at donatelife.gov.au/register
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