THE team from the South Coast Register and local resident Scott Garraway hope tomorrow’s (Friday September 4) Jersey Day kicks goals.
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The National Rugby League (NRL) supported event urges people to wear their favourite sporting jersey to work or school for 'Jersey Day' to help raise awareness for organ donation.
Organ donation is something Mr Garraway feels strongly about.
The Shoalhaven resident in 2008 received the greatest gift of all - a lifesaving donation of a kidney from Glenda Jorgenson.
“Without that donation I would had been long gone by now,” he said.
He still sees Mrs Jorgenson regularly and can’t thank her enough for his gift of life.
Without the kidney Mr Garraway would not to take part in important family milestones like weddings and birth of grandchildren.
He fully supports Jersey Day and would like to see the opt out organ donation system adopted in Australia.
Under the opt out program people automatically are organ donors, unless they decide to opt out.
There are 1600 people on the waiting list at the moment waiting for a life-saving transplants and to become a donor, people can now register online at donatelife.gov.au.
Jersey Day was inspired by Nathan Gremmo, who was tragically lost in an accident in 2015 at the age of just 15-years.
Nathan’s family generously agreed to Nathan becoming an organ donor, in honour of Nathan’s generous personality.
Now in its second year, the day is about raising awareness of organ and tissue donation.
If you don’t have a sporting jersey – for any sporting code - just wear a colourful shirt to show your support.
Go to www.jerseyday.com.au for more information about Jersey Day, to download a Jersey Day poster, and to learn how you can help save a life.
In the first seven months of 2016, a record 815 Australians received an organ transplant.
Their lives were saved and transformed through the generosity of 276 deceased organ donors and their families who agreed to donation at the time of their loved one’s death.
While there has been growth in transplantation and donation outcomes there are 1,425 Australians on organ transplant waiting lists.
This comes at a significant cost to those needing a transplant, their family and the health care system.
