🗓️ DonateLife Week Edition – 27 July to 3 August

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Hey legends 👋

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We know life’s busy. School, mates, sport, socials, playlists... there’s a lot going on.

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But this week — during DonateLife Week — we’re pressing pause for a second to ask something kind of big:

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Can a single conversation really save a life?

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Sounds dramatic, right? But it’s 100% true. And here’s how it works.

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🫁💖 Meet the Power Duo: Lenny the Lungs & Harriet the Heart

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Your lungs and heart are absolute legends.

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They work together 24/7 to help you breathe, move, laugh, run, cry, and even sleep.

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But sometimes, when one of them isn’t working properly — because of disease or injury — the only thing that can help is an organ transplant. And that’s where organ donation comes in.

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❗ So, What’s Organ Donation?

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Organ donation is when someone chooses to give part of their body — like a heart, lung, or kidney — to someone else who needs it to survive or live a better life.

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It’s not something people chat about every day, but it’s honestly one of the kindest, most generous things a person can ever do.

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Right now, over 1,800 people in Australia are waiting for a transplant. That includes kids, teens, parents, and grandparents — all hoping for a second chance.

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💬 So, What Can YOU Do?

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If you’re under 16, you can’t officially register as a donor just yet.

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BUT you can have the chat.

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That chat with your family — the one where you say, “This matters to me” — can help them make the right decision if it’s ever needed.

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People are more likely to say YES to donation when they know what their loved one wanted.

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🧠 Need Help Starting the Conversation?

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Let’s be honest — talking about organ donation might feel awkward. But here are 3 ways to make it easier:

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🗨️ “Hey, have we ever talked about organ donation before?”

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🗨️ “If I could, I think I’d want to be a donor. What about you?”

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🗨️ “What do you think it means to leave a legacy?”

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These questions aren’t about being morbid. They’re about being brave. They’re about kindness. And they show you care about others — even people you’ve never met.

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🤔 What Happens When You Turn 16?

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In Australia, when you turn 16, you can register as an organ and tissue donor online.

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All you need is your Medicare card and 1 minute of your time. That’s it.

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You’re not signing a contract — you’re simply recording your decision so your family doesn’t have to guess.

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💡 Pro tip: You can still change your mind anytime. But registering makes it official.

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💙 Meet a Real-Life Hero

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One of our own Donate Buddies heroes is Matt, a 15-year-old who loved skating, drawing, and helping others.

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When something tragic happened, Matt’s family made a brave decision — and he became a real-life hero. He saved lives through organ donation, and his kindness lives on through the people he helped.

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👉 Read Matt’s full story here

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Matt’s story is powerful, and it reminds us how one life can create so much light.

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📚 For Teachers & Parents

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Donate Buddies offers free, age-appropriate tools to support meaningful conversations about health, gratitude, and donation — even with tricky topics.

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Whether you're a parent at the dinner table or a teacher in the classroom, our character stories, printable worksheets, and real-life examples help guide young people through these ideas with hope and heart.

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🔗 Donate Buddies Resources

🔗 DonateLife Australia: Register & Learn

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🗨️ Final Thought

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You’ve got the power to make a difference — just by talking.

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One little chat can become one massive ripple of kindness.

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This DonateLife Week, take a deep breath, be bold, and start a conversation that could one day save a life. Or seven.

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Because sometimes, real heroes… just start a conversation 💛

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🫁💖 From Lenny & Harriet — keep breathing like heroes!