South Australia may lead the country in organ donation rates, but young people remain the missing link in the state’s donor registry. As DonateLife Week approaches, families, health leaders, and advocates are urging South Australians aged 16 to 24 to register as organ donors and start the conversation with their loved ones.
Currently, just 40 per cent of people in this age group are on the Australian Organ Donor Register, compared with over 70 per cent of older South Australians. Yet South Australia stands alone in offering an easy route to registration through its driver’s licence system—a factor that has helped push overall participation to 74 per cent, more than double the national average.
Health Minister Chris Picton says the state has good reason to be proud. “South Australians should be proud of the fact that we lead the nation in organ donation registration,” he said. “There is no doubt this is helped by our unique system of being able to register when you get or renew your driver’s licence.”
Picton is now encouraging young drivers to see that moment as a turning point. “We’re urging even more South Australians – particularly young people – to register to give the gift of life to others,” he said. “Getting your driver’s licence is the perfect opportunity to sign up.”
The reminder carries a difficult but clear message. “Of course, no young person or their family wants to imagine the worst happening at the wheel,” Picton added, “but having those serious conversations about responsibility on the roads is the perfect time to talk about the amazing gift of organ donation.”
Organ donation in South Australia is deeply personal for many. Adelaide father and longtime advocate Oren Klemich knows just how crucial that early conversation can be. His son Jack was just 18 years old when he died from Meningococcal disease. He had registered his decision to be a donor not long before his death.
“Jack ticked the box to register, and sadly, several months later, he died,” said Mr Klemich. “Five of his organs were received by four people around Australia. Jack saved the lives of four Australians. Sixteen years on, three are still alive today.”
For the Klemich family, that small act—ticking a box—has echoed across time. “Losing Jack was the worst time of our lives,” Oren said. “But the knowledge of his organs saving other people’s lives provides us comfort. Our little champ did well.”
The impact of donation is not just measured in medical charts. Dimitri Tsekinis knows it in every breath he takes. Born with polycystic kidney disease, he received a kidney from his mother in 2010 and later, in 2016, a liver from a stranger. At one point, his condition was so dire he said his goodbyes.
Now, he wakes up to the sound of five children at home.
“It has created a legacy,” he said. “So many generations will thrive due to my mum giving me her kidney and the selfless act of a stranger who donated his or her liver to save my life.”
Dimitri is now a strong advocate, speaking directly to young people about why registering matters.
Across the country, more than 1,800 people are currently waiting for a transplant. And every year, hundreds don’t survive the wait. Another 14,000 Australians with kidney failure remain on dialysis—many of whom could benefit from a transplant.
The medical director of DonateLife SA, Dr Stewart Moodie, says one conversation can make a world of difference.
“Talk to your family, have that conversation,” he said. “Time and again we see that it helps a family in the midst of their devastation when the person has registered and discussed their wishes.”
It’s especially important when the person who dies is young. “This is particularly important for the family of a young person,” Dr Moodie said, “where they see that their tragedy can do such good.”
Registration alone makes a tangible difference. When someone is listed on the register, their family agrees to donation in 80 per cent of cases. That number drops to just 40 per cent if the family isn’t sure what the person would have wanted.
People in South Australia can register through their licence application or renewal, or online through Medicare or the DonateLife website. The process takes about one minute. What takes a little longer, but matters just as much, is telling your family you’ve done it.
For Oren Klemich, it’s simple. “Registering as a donor is very important, and equally crucial is sharing this information with your family or loved ones,” he said. “If the worst ever does happen, your family knows what to do.”
Jack’s choice still lingers in his father’s voice. “Years on, our family is confident we made the right decision,” Oren said. “It salvages something positive at a horribly tragic time.”
DonateLife Week begins later this month, but for many families across South Australia, the impact of one conversation lasts much longer.
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