DonateLife

Join us in celebrating DonateLife Week by heading to an event in your local area! There are events happening across the country throughout DonateLife Week, all to raise awareness and get more Aussies registered as organ and tissue donors.

Check out what’s happening near you at donatelife.gov.au/events

Our striking new Queensland First Nations shirts had their debut at NAIDOC Week celebrations this week while recognising ‘50 Years of Deadly’.

Mackay Donation Specialist Nurse Donna Contor caught up with the shirt’s co-designer Debbie Thaiday in support of NAIDOC Week community celebrations at Queens Park today (Friday July 10) in Mackay. Debbie, and other artists from Dt trait designz collaborative studio, descend from the Erub and Iama Islands in the Torres Strait and the Ngarabal Nation. They worked with DonateLife Queensland to ensure designs for the shirts and other resources are representative of Queensland’s wide diversity. A flowing river of their artwork now runs alongside the original Aboriginal designs by Aunty Kylie Hill. Ms Thaiday said she was proud to work on the designs and hopes it will empower more people to talk about organ and tissue donation at community events and beyond.

‘This design celebrates what choosing to be a donor really is – another way to look after our Mob,’ she said.

‘Our indigenous people need to understand they are safe to step forward as donors, just like anyone else, and have the right to advocate for their own people. And when they do, it’s powerful.’

The artwork showcases their rich saltwater cultural history and the sea animals that sustained them, alongside the various organs affected by chronic disease. The dot groups represent people choosing to be donors together, and the blue swell behind the curved line of dots are each a different island, family and community affected by the donation decisions of a few.

‘All it takes is one respected person in the community to show others that being a donor is an honour, and the rest will follow,’ she said.

Around two-thirds of Australia’s Torres Strait Islander people live in Queensland, with almost 10% of First Nations people identifying with Torres Strait heritage, according to the Australian 2021 Census.

Have the yarn that saves lives this NAIDOC Week and register today at donatelife.gov.au

DonateLife Week is just around the corner! From Sunday 26 July to Sunday 2 August, we want all Aussies to be talking about organ and tissue donation.

If you’re passionate about donation, there’s lots of ways you can get involved this DonateLife Week. Head to our supporter hub for more information: www.donatelife.gov.au/donatelifeweek