Donor Families Australia Inc.
EXPERT BY EXPERIENCE
Supporting Organ & Tissue Donor Families
DFA celebrating 10 years of service to Donor Families and their Recipients
On 15 June 2023 the Senate referred the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority Amendment (Disclosure of Information) Bill 2023 to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 26 July 2023.
The information before DFA is that no consultation has been entered into involving Donor Families or Recipient. Furthermore, the Senate Hearing Committee will remain closed and will not be seeking direct participation involving any parties that have put forward a submission. DFA's concern involves the lack of our Human Right of freedom of speech and the heavy handedness of being legislated for by two levels of Government. Donor Families don’t need or deserve this additional level of stress to deal with. They should simply own and control their loved one’s information.
Clarification of the Human Tissue Act with regards to Disclosure of Information: Section 34
30 April 2021
DFA has requested Lavan Law Firm to provide advice with respect to legislation surrounding the ability of organ donor families (next of kin of minr/adult deceased donors) to disclose or give to any other person any information or document whereby the identity of "a person" may become publicly known
Let organ/tissue donor families "have control over their Donor Hero's information"
26th July 2022
This petition is to bring about legislative change in WA and other States and Territories in Australia to give us and other donor families the legal right to:
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Show our daughter's photo, say her name with pride and tell people she is a donor hero. This in turn will help promote the benefits of organ/tissue donation and help increase the current lagging consent rate.
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Have her donation recorded on her death certificate to formally recognise her gift to others. The law in WA and every other Australian state prohibits this from happening.
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Have total control of our daughter's donation information to use as we choose.
Kurri Mongrels Ride for DFA (10-13 Sep 2020)
23 June 2020
The Kurri Mongrels are a country community of of enthusiastic group of cyclists from Kurri and the surrounding area in NSW. Every year, they conduct a fundraising cycle conducted over several days to raise funds towards a charity organisation.
This year Donor Families Australia is their nominated charity.
Donor Families Australia congratulates ACT, and MLA Tara Cheyne, on Amendment Bill
19 February 2020
Donor Families Australia congratulates the ACT and especially thanks Tara Cheyne MLA for her advocacy in bringing about this nationally groundbreaking Bill forward.
If passed, for the first time in Australia, tissue donation will be recorded on the death register, and in turn, on death certificates. It also legislates the possibility of formal recognition in a letter from the Chief Minister
Australia's First Official Donor/Recipient Contact Registry
11 March 2018
Until now, despite the wishes of many donor families and recipients who have shared the donation transplant experience, connection between both sides has been actively blocked by healthcare organisations who fear that either party will suffer if they meet or communicate.
From today, donor families and recipients can register their details through the Donor Families Australia website for contact. If certain criteria and consent to conditions is met by both sides, then a mutual introduction can be made
The right to meet
20 January 2017 (updated June 2017)
Right now in Australia, communication between consenting Donor Families and Recipients is limited despite increasing numbers expressing a desire to meet in a less restricted and supported way, providing healing and hope, whilst still honouring the wishes of those who wish to retain their privacy.
We were overwhelmed to have received 544 survey responses on this issue which was presented to the Australian Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) and its associated organisations, asking them to review the regulation, policy and practice that govern this area at the recent Community Consultative Forum.
Please see the Autumn 2017 edition of our Newsletter for our article outlining the forum.
Where is the family in "making your decision count"?
28 July 2017
As DonateLife commences this Sunday 30 July, Donor Families Australia (DFA) highlights its concern with the new registration system that has been put in place to coincide with the Australian Government’s national reform program, effectively removing the importance of the family in the organ and tissue donation registration process.
Government considering 'opt-out'
December 10, 2018
A drastic change being considered by the Australian government would see residents automatically listed as organ donors as part of a new opt-out system. A result that can bypass the Family being involved in the Consent Process. Should Donor Families be involved?
The communication experiences becomes consumer led
28 February 2018
Previous research suggests that “Donor Families and Recipients not only desire contact, they think they have a right to meet even if the transplant professional advises against it."
Now, a consumer led movement is facilitating the connection of consenting organ and tissue donor families with recipients who have shared the same donation/ transplantation experience — a practice that is expected to lead to increased acceptance and the normalisation of organ donation and transplantation, but is actively blocked by healthcare organisations who fear that donor families or recipients will suffer disappointment or ‘behave badly’ if they meet.
Donor Families support Thank You Day
19 November 2016
Sunday 20 November 2016 marks DonateLife “Thank You Day” across Australia, acknowledging all organ and tissue donors and their families. In WA, Donor Families Australia is holding a free barbecue at Sir James Mitchell Park in South Perth for donors, recipients, their families and the rest of the community. The event is held in conjunction with donor agency partners PlusLife and Lion’s Eyebank WA.