There's no price you can put on an extra nine years of memories with your loved one, according to Port Macquarie resident Julie Holten.
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Her husband Warren, a commercial fisherman and concrete renderer, was given the life-saving gift of a liver and kidney transplant in 2010.
Mrs Holten said she cherishes those extra years and now encourages members of the public to join the Australian Organ Donor Register,
"Warren had been on dialysis for almost five years before the transplant," Mrs Holten said.
"We could never pinpoint what was wrong with his liver and there were a number of things ruled out. It also affected his only kidney and he was put on the transplant list for five or six months.
"Warren had the attitude of still wanting to work. He loved his fishing and seemed never to stay still. He actually cement rendered his kidney specialist's new rooms while on dialysis."
After the liver and kidney transplant Warren reclaimed his life, returned to work and made nine more years of memories with family until his passing on December 13, 2019, at age 71.
"I'm down as a donor and it's so hard to put into words the thanks to people who donate."
There were 1683 lives saved by 548 deceased organ donors and 239 living donors in 2019. The most under-represented donor groups are young men, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
DonateLife Week 2020, from July 26 to August 2, will include digital activities and heartfelt stories from recipients whose lives have been transformed by a transplant.
"People at the moment don't think about it until it's too late and they don't discuss it with their family. People need to have that conversation with their family," Mrs Holten said.
"I think an opt-out system is the way it should be in Australia. If you are automatically on the register then people would think about it more."
Mid North Coast Local Health District organ and tissue donation specialist Anne Judd said 1700 Australians are currently on transplant waiting lists and a further 12,000 people on dialysis.
"DonateLife Week is a perfect time for us all to make our decision count by registering to become an organ and tissue donor and ensuring our loved ones know our wishes," Ms Judd said.
"About two per cent of people who die in hospital will be eligible to donate their organs. However, many more people have the potential to become tissue donors and they are in great need."
Join the Australian Organ Donor Register online.