Rare than Rubies
Ruby Payne was just eight years old when she was diagnosed with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, a rare disorder which involves high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.
As Ruby’s hearts, lungs and liver began to fail, she became weaker and weaker. The only option became patently clear: Ruby needed a double lung transplant, and fast.
Thankfully, a match was found within weeks, and Ruby began a long but steadfast road to recovery.
Today, Ruby is in year seven at high school, can walk five to six kilometres a day, and is looking forward to playing netball again.
“Words can’t explain how grateful Ruby’s mother and I are for the person who donated their lungs for our daughter,” Robbie said. “It’s the most precious gift our whole family could ever receive.”
This DonateLife Week, the NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service is calling on Australians to “be the reason someone else gets a second chance at life” by registering as an organ and tissue donor.
Anyone aged 16 and over can register online to become an organ donor in just one minute at donatelife.gov.au, or with three taps in the Medicare app. For those who think they’re already registered, it only takes one minute to double check.
Acting General Manager of the NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service, Juliana Celcer said DonateLife Week is the perfect time to consider becoming an organ and tissue donor, as newly released data reveals the need for more people across the state to register as donors.
There are currently around 1,800 people on the organ waitlist, and 14,000 more on dialysis for kidney failure who need Australia’s help. Sadly, more than 50 Australians died last year while on the organ transplant waitlist.
DonateLife Week from Sunday 28 July to Sunday 4 August, is Australia’s major public awareness week to encourage more Australians to sign up and support organ and tissue donation.
It only takes 1 minute to register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au or with 3 taps on your Express Plus Medicare app.
DonateLife Week will be launched on Sunday 28 July in conjunction with the annual fundraising walk for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead called Leaping Livers. The walk starts at 8 am at Narabeen Lagoon from Berry Reserve.
