DONATE Life week is currently on and running until 2 August, and the awareness effort is seeking to get more people listed as organ donors.
The national awareness campaign is being led by organ transplant recipient Luka-Angel Cairns, who received a donor heart 10 years ago.
She said without the selfless act, she wouldn’t be alive.
“Ten years ago, a family said yes to donation, and I am here because of them,” Ms Cairns said.
“Every milestone I have reached since belongs partly to them.
“Registering takes a minute, and it can give someone like me a whole lifetime. Please register, and tell your family.”
While organ transplant numbers were up in New South Wales, the number of donors who make them are still low.
In 2025, 160 deceased organ donors contributed to more than 410 transplant operations, up 17 per cent on the year before.
Yet at the same time, the number of people registering to become organ donors dropped by 19 per cent year-on-year.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said while it involved hard choices, organ donation was a meaningful and altruistic gift.
“Behind every donation is a family who said yes at a very hard moment of their lives, and another family who gets more time with the person they love,” he said.
“Organ donation can only happen in rare circumstances, which is why every single registration counts.
“It takes a minute to register and one conversation to let your family know your decision.
“My message this DonateLife Week is simple: register at donatelife.gov.au, and tell your family.”
NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service co-state medical director Dr Michael O’Leary said it was important people had a conversation with their family before it was too late.
“Not everyone who dies can become a donor, and our teams work to identify every possible opportunity while maintaining strict clinical and ethical standards,” he said.
“When someone is registered and their family knows their wishes, families almost always say yes.
“The kindest thing you can do for the people you love is make your decision clear.”