Wednesday, 26 February

Gift of Life's DonateLife Walk is back for its 14th year!

This DonateLife Week we’re encouraging more Australians to register to be an organ and tissue donor and to have a conversation about it with their family and friends.

Gift of Life’s annual DonateLife Walk was held for the 13th time at Regatta Point across the bridges around Lake Burley in Canberra on Wednesday 13 February 2019. It was also the 10^th anniversary of the establishment of the Government’s Organ and Tissue Authority and the national DonateLife campaign.

Held on a mild sunny morning with a light breeze, it attracted around 5,000 participants. A simultaneous shorter walk was also held around Commonwealth Park.

The objective was to promote wider community awareness of the need for increased organ and tissue donation.  It sought to promote a discussion with family and close friends about their organ donation decision and, importantly, to encourage participants to sign on to the Australian Organ Donor Register.  This is vital in encouraging a much higher consent rate for organ and tissue donation and thereby saving many more Australian lives.  

A team from the Department of Human Services managed a stall enabling them to talk to participants and to encourage them to sign onto the Register – accessible online or by completing a brochure at donatellife.gov.au.

The event was sponsored by the Government’s Organ and Tissue Authority and supported by the ACT Government.  It promoted the national campaign for organ and tissue donation and registration.

As usual, it was a bright and joyful occasion with a great atmosphere. T-shirts, hats, caps and show bags were supplied to a large number of the participants free. Life-sized photos of prominent hospital transplant staff and people involved in the transplant community were displayed to provide context. Donor families and recipients were interviewed in a live broadcast by 2CC.

The Walk was launched by the Governor- General His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC and  the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, Minister for Indigenous Health, Senior Australians and Aged Care who is also responsible for Organ and Tissue Authority. The ACT Government was represented by Tara Cheyne, Member for Ginninderra. They were introduced by Gift of Life President, David O’Leary.

Others participating in the Walk included Member for Canberra Ms Gai Brodtmann MP, the CEO of the Organ and Tissue Authority Lucinda Barry, a range of other MPs and ACT MLAs and a number of departmental Secretaries and heads of agencies. Teams from government departments and agencies, health staff, business, large teams of school college and university students, including ANU medical students, and from ADFA participated.

Large numbers of students from St Clare’s College, Merici College, Narrabundah College and Canberra Girls Grammar School took part in the walk.

The Lions Club Canberra Belconnen served a free healthy BBQ breakfast to participants at the completion of the Walk.

The many thousands of participants at the walk again this demonstrates the growing as well as substantial understanding and support for organ and tissue donation in the Canberra region.

The Walk has now become a major Canberra event and is amongst the largest community events in Australia in support of organ and tissue donation and the national DonateLife campaign as well as the Australian Organ Donor Register.  Make sure you come along and join the Walk in 2020!

The Gift of Life Garden was officially opened at the National Arboretum Canberra by Ms Tara Cheyne MLA, on behalf of the ACT Government, on Sunday 25 November 2018.  

Also attending the event were the Hon. Ken Wyatt MP, Australian Government Minister responsible for organ and tissue donation, Associate Professor Kumud Dhital, a leading cardiac transplant surgeon at St Vincent’s Private Hospital and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, key staff from the National Arboretum Canberra, staff from the Government’s Organ and Tissue Authority and DonateLife ACT, hospital and health staff, Gift of Life Incorporated Board members and other representatives of the local transplant community.

The Garden commemorates organ and tissue donation and transplantation. It will be a place for quiet reflection and appreciation of the wonderful gift of donors and their families, the renewed life of transplant recipients and the work of all those medical and health professionals who make this transformation possible. 

The establishment of the Garden, with a funding commitment by the ACT Government, was announced by Chief Minister Andrew Barr in late 2016. Funding was also provided by the Australian Government’s Organ and Tissue Authority reflecting its importance as a national project. The remaining funding was generously contributed by private donors.

Key staff of the National Arboretum Canberra and Members of the Gift of Life Board cooperated closely in bringing the project to fruition.

The Garden was designed by landscape architect Alex Dalglish of ‘Somewhere’ from Wagga Wagga and constructed by a Canberra company, Eifer.  It comprises winding paths, a mixture of plants, rock features, cascading water, viewing portals and a nook with an inspiring sculpture. 

Gift of Life commissioned the sculpture ‘Confluence’ by Bungendore artist Keith Bender. With intersecting circles representing life forming a sphere and ECG shapes crossing over depicting heartbeats, it symbolizes donors and recipients coming together to enable organ donation and transplantation to proceed enabling many more to survive.

The Garden will provide a tranquil setting for transplant families and the general community. It will also bring to the attention of the very large numbers of visitors to the National Arboretum in future the importance of organ and tissue donation and transplantation and encourage many more of them to become donors and to register on the Australian Organ Donor Register – donatelife.gov.au

L to R: A/Prof Kumud Dhittal, cardiac transplant surgeon at St Vincent’s Private, the Hon Ken Wyatt MP Minister responsible for organ and tissue donation, David O’Leary, Gift of Life President and Lucinda Barry, CEO Organ and Tissue Authority

Gift of Life's annual DonateLife Walk was held for the twelfth time at Regatta Point, Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra on Wednesday 28 February 2018. Held on a cool morning with fog over the lake, it attracted around 4,500 participants.

The objective was to promote wider community awareness of the need for increased organ and tissue donation. It sought to promote a discussion with family and close friends about their organ donation decision and, importantly, to encourage signing on to the Australian Organ Donor Register. This is vital in encouraging a much higher consent rate for organ and tissue donation and thereby saving many more Australian lives.

A team from the Department of Human Services managed a stall enabling them to talk to participants and to encourage them to sign onto the Register - accessible online or by completing a brochure at donatellife.gov.au.

The event was sponsored by the Government's Organ and Tissue Authority and supported by the ACT Government. It promoted the national campaign for organ and tissue donation and registration.

As usual, it was a bright and joyful occasion with a great atmosphere with coloured balloons, t-shirts, hats, caps and show bags which were supplied to a large number of the participants free. Life-sized photos of prominent hospital transplant staff and people involved in the transplant community were displayed to provide context.




The Walk was launched by the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, Minister responsible for organ and tissue donation. The ACT Government was represented by Tara Cheyne, Member for Ginninderra and Government Whip. Also attending the launch was Ms Catherine King, Shadow Minister for Health and Medicare, reflecting wide political support for this important cause. They were introduced by Gift of Life President, David O'Leary.

Others participating in the Walk included Assistant Ministers Luke Hartsuyker and Damian Drum, Member for Canberra Ms Gai Brodtmann MP, the CEO of the Organ and Tissue Authority Lucinda Barry, Secretary of the Department of Human Services Renee Leon, a range of other MPs and ACT MLAs and a number of departmental Secretaries and heads of agencies. Teams from government departments and agencies, health staff, business, large teams of school college and university students, including ANU medical students, participated.

Students from St Clares College, Merici College and Canberra Girls Grammar School generously helped our event manager, Morris Walker, with arrangements for the walk.

Lions Club Canberra Belconnen served a free BBQ breakfast to participants at the completion of the walk.

The thousands of participants at the walk again demonstrates the substantial understanding and growing support for organ and tissue donation in the Canberra region.

The Walk has now become a major Canberra event and is amongst the largest community events in Australia in support of organ and tissue donation and the national DonateLife campaign. Make sure you come along and join the Walk in 2019!

DonateLife Week is being held around Australia this year from Sunday 30 July – Sunday 6 August next to promote organ and tissue donation and to encourage Australians to sign on straight away to the Australian Organ Donor Register.

All around the country Australians are being encouraged to make the time to "Make your decision count.  Register today to save lives at DonateLife."

During DonateLife Week Australians are encouraged to discover the facts, decide and register their donation decision and discuss and know the donation decisions of their family.

If you feel you would ever want to become a recipient should the need arise, be equally prepared to become a donor.  Your generosity by becoming a donor can potentially save many Australian lives.

Many more Australian lives can be saved if more people decide to become organ and tissue donors.  You can help end the wait for the 1,400 Australians and their families waiting for a life-saving transplant.  Make your decision count during DonateLife Week and register to save lives at donatelife.gov.au.  Organ and tissue donation is the ultimate gift.  You can save and improve the lives of 10 or more people as an organ and tissue donor.  During DonateLife Week, join the Australian Organ Donor Register online, and discuss your donation decision with your family and friends.  Visit donatelife.gov.au to find out.

In the Canberra region, during DonateLife Week the ABC radio 666 “Mornings” program presented by Genevieve Jacobs from 9am-11am will be interviewing various people affected by organ and tissue donation and transplantation Listen in to the broadcasts and learn more from those directly affected.

Gift of Life’s DonateLife Walk was held at a new location on the Patrick White Lawns between the National Library of Australia and Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra on Wednesday 1 March 2017. Held in good weather conditions, it attracted close to 4,500 participants. A simultaneous shorter walk was also held around the National Library.

The objective was to promote wider community awareness of the need for increased organ and tissue donation. It also sought to promote a discussion with family and close friends of an individual’s donation decision and the importance of signing on to the Australian Organ Donor Register. This is vital in encouraging a much higher consent rate for donation and thereby saving many more Australian lives each year.

The event was sponsored by the Government’s Organ and Tissue Authority and supported the national campaign promoting organ and tissue donation.

As usual, it was a bright occasion and had a great atmosphere with coloured balloons, t-shirts, hats, caps and show bags that were supplied to a large number of the participants free. Life-sized photos of prominent hospital transplant staff and people involved in the transplant community were on display to provide context.



The walk was launched by the Governor-General of Australia His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret’d), accompanied by Lady Cosgrove. Also speaking at the launch were the Hon Greg Hunt MP Minister for Health, the Hon Ken Wyatt MP, Minister responsible for organ and tissue donation and Ms Meegan Fitzharris MLA, ACT Minister for Health. Ms Catherine King, Shadow Minister for Health also attended the launch ceremony reflecting bipartisan support. Speakers were introduced by Gift of Life President, David O’Leary.

Others participating in the walk included Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Luke Hartsuyker, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications and Services, Stephen Jones, Member for Canberra Ms Gai Brodtmann MP, the CEO of the Organ and Tissue Authority Felicity McNeill, a range of other MPs and ACT MLAs. Teams of public servants, business people, health staff, large teams of school college and university students, including a large group of ANU medical students, participated.

Human Services staff were on hand to encourage participants to sign on to the Australian Organ Donor Register run by Medicare. Lions Club of Canberra Belconnen served a free healthy BBQ breakfast to participants after the walk.

The walk continues to draw large numbers. It has grown from 1800 in 2011 to 5,700 in 2016. This year in 2017 in its new location it attracted 4,500 participants. This demonstrates continuing substantial understanding and support for organ and tissue donation in the Canberra region.

A decade on, the Walk has now become a Canberra institution and amongst the largest community events in Australia in support of organ and tissue donation. Make sure you come along and join the walk next year!

The Minister for Rural Health (with responsibility for organ donation matters), Senator The Hon Fiona Nash, has today congratulated Gift of Life on the tenth annual DonateLife walk around Lake Burley Griffin.

The Minister thanked the more than 5,700 participants, noting that the Gift of Life DonateLife Walk serves as an important reminder to register to be an organ donor.

Organ donation rates in the Australian Capital Territory are exceptional at 21.2 donors per million, which is above the national rate of 18.3 donors per million.

Read the Minister's press release here.

An extraordinary group of individuals were recognised on Monday 30 November by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr for their outstanding contributions in raising awareness of organ and tissue donation.

The awards acknowledge the exceptional role played by those in the community, health and government sectors in promoting organ and tissue donation. Gift of Life congratulates this year’s recipients:

• A Special Award for Leadership and Support – Katy Gallagher, former ACT Chief Minister – for her commitment to raising awareness for organ and tissue donation and transplantation that has been a foundation for strong community awareness and support in the ACT for this important cause.
• The Terry Connolly Award for Healthcare Leadership and Innovation – Professor Peter MacDonald and Associate Professor Kumud Dhital of St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney – for their leading roles in pioneering and carrying out, in 2014, the world’s first successful ‘dead heart’ transplant operation whereby hearts are revived after circulatory death and transferred to recipients, enabling a major increase in the pool of hearts available for transplantation.
• The Ben Wiseman Award for Policy Advocacy and Support – Dr Helen Watchirs OAM – for her outstanding contribution and continued support for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Following the tragic death of her husband Terry Connolly, Dr Watchirs has played a pivotal role in lifting public recognition for the cause as well as contributing to government policy in this area.
• The Jenny Deck Award for Community Support – Marjorie Taylor – for being at the forefront in promoting organ and tissue donation since her daughter – Annette Taylor – became the ACT’s first organ donor 40 years ago.
• The Annette Taylor Award for Support from Schools – Canberra Girls Grammar School – for its enthusiastic and continuing involvement as well as its assistance at Gift of Life’s DonateLife Walk.

In addition, the Angus Fairbairn-Cody Award was presented to two young kidney recipients, Harry Irvine and Ava Bancroft, whose parents spoke about their organ donation experience to help inspire the community to become organ and tissue donors.

Gift of Life President David O’Leary thanked award recipients for their dedication in increasing organ donation and transplantation and in raising awareness for organ and tissue donation. “Community advocates such as those we’re recognising play a pivotal role in spreading awareness and generating community support and understanding,” Mr O’Leary said. “With only about 60 per cent of families currently giving consent for organ and tissue donation to proceed, it’s important to encourage discussion amongst families and friends who could ultimately make the decision about your donation wishes and for them to also sign onto the Australian Organ Donor Register.

“The ACT has a good donation rate by Australian standards, but much more needs to be done to raise awareness amongst the community and that their decision to be a donor can save the lives of up to 10 people,” Mr O’Leary said.