Indigenous Australians are almost three times more likely to die from kidney disease than non-Indigenous Australians. But they are far less likely to receive an organ donation and transplant. As part of a plan to give more kidney patients a chance at living longer. the state government is considering allowing drivers licence donor registration.
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TVTranscript
00:00 Len Schultz loves the outdoors, but for years the Naju elder was forced to spend his days
00:07 inside.
00:09 Full time job doing dialysis. Just when you thought you were better, bang you've got to
00:14 go back on again.
00:16 But three years ago Mr Schultz had a kidney transplant.
00:19 From a deceased donor. Yes, I just thank the family that allowed me to have that.
00:28 Organ donation and transplantation rates in Australia are among the lowest in the developed
00:33 world.
00:35 It's really imperative that we improve the rates of people opting into organ donation
00:40 in Australia.
00:41 Just 36% of eligible adults are on the donation register. Indigenous West Australians experience
00:48 kidney disease at almost 7 times the rate of the wider population, but are far less
00:55 likely to receive a transplant.
00:58 Following an inquiry into organ donation, the WA government is considering whether people
01:02 should be able to join the organ donation register when applying for a driver's licence.
01:08 Many people think this is already the case, but it hasn't been possible in WA for 20 years.
01:14 Rowena Alexander and her partner made the heart wrenching decision to donate her daughter's
01:18 organs, saving three lives.
01:21 We didn't know what her wishes were. My daughter had her licence, if she was able to register
01:26 in Western Australia, using that system would have made our decision a lot easier.
01:30 Advocates say funding is also needed to break down barriers about organ donation among Indigenous
01:36 people.
01:38 And invest more into First Nations people, especially in the failed kidney area.
01:45 I wish to see more people enjoy a second chance to live a healthy life.
01:50 For more information visit www.wiu.edu/kidney-donation
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