Think you’re too old to be an organ donor? Think again

Last year, 36 per cent of Australia’s 510 organ donors were aged 55 or older when they died – at least one was older than 80.

Even if donors are suffering from diseases, they can often donate some organs such as eyes.

Dr Graeme Pollock, director of the Lions Eye Donation Service, recently told the Sydney Morning Herald that they look less at the age of a person and more at the function of the organ being donated.

“We are finding that older organs still do work,” he said.

Registered donor numbers falling short

Despite a new online form being introduced to make it easier for people to register in just a couple of minutes, only 36 per cent of us have joined the Australian Organ Donor Register.

It does make a real difference though. Last year, 1,675 lives were saved or improved by organ donation. Another 9.600 benefitted from eye and tissue transplants.

You can register online in less than a minute at donatelife.gov.au – all you need is your Medicare Number card.

No excuses then.

DonateLife Week is 29 July – 5 August 2018.