Two local families met last week for a morning tea to celebrate a common passion, rugby league, and talk about the impact organ and tissue donation has had on their lives.
Ron and Sandra Ulrick’s daughter Donna tragically died following a motor vehicle accident a number of years ago.
With the help of their family and in particular Donna’ssister Karen Taylor, they made the decision to donate Donna’s organs and tissues.
At a Donate Life Week function held earlier this year, Ron and Sandra met Chris Lounds, whose life was saved by an anonymous donor after receiving a liver transplant.
Without the donation, Chris would have lost her life.
Apart from both having had their lives changed by organ and tissue donation, they discovered a common passion was the former NSW rugby league team, the North Sydney Bears.
Touched by Chris’s story, Ron had one of his prized Bears jerseys autographed by Chris’s all-time favourite player, Ben Ikin, and presented it to her as a gift.
Sandra, Ron, Karen and Chris have shared their story with the hope that it promotes community awareness of the need for families to discuss organ and tissue donation.
In 2011 there were 337 donors in Australia and through these donations, 1001 recipients were able to be assisted. The average Australian donor rate was 14.9 donors per million people.
For further information about organ and tissue donation go to –
http://www.donatelife.gov.au/home
