Emma Husar (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Sunday, 25 September I attended the opening ceremony of this year's Australian Transplant Games, held in Penrith and Blacktown over the week, hosted by Transplant Australia and supported by DonateLife. On 26 September, as part of the games, I attended the 'Transplant Train', where participants and supporters caught a train from Penrith to the city of Sydney and marched through the city to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation. Over the course of the games, I was able to meet with fellow organ donor families who, like me, had been touched by organ and tissue donation through the generosity of their loved ones who had passed. I met with many participants who had been given the opportunity of a second chance of life through the generosity of those who had opted to become donors.

I applaud the work of the games organisers, Chris Thomas and his team, for a successful 2016 games. The games bring together a range of people, but the ultimate aim of the games is to create more awareness and increase the rates of organ donation through the national Organ Donor Register. Through organ donations, people like my mate Jess Sparks are able to have a second opportunity at life. Jess is currently recovering from her second double-lung transplant, and I wish her a speedy recovery. I congratulate each and every athlete, supporter and volunteer or organiser for their participation in the games, and I am looking forward to attending the next games, which I am hoping to be able to support and even to participate in as a member of an organ donor family.