“Lying on my back, I can feel two little lumps on either side of my belly. On the left side is my donor’s kidney while on the right side is his pancreas. These two organs are doing an amazing job of not just keeping me alive, but making me feel healthier than I can ever remember. Someone else’s organs inside me!!!! Isn’t that weird. My donor’s organs, which were of no further use to him, now sustain my life. His organs that would have otherwise wasted away are now performing a most useful task of controlling my blood sugar levels and purifying my blood. Am I still me or have I taken on a new identity? I can now do things that I could never have dreamed of before. It must have changed me but apart from the obvious behaviour, I am not sure what impact it has had on my personality. When you think about it, what better memorial to a loved one could there possibly be than, through the process of death, to give life? Those who agree in life to donate their organs and tissues when they die are the creators of an on-going life-giving process. So when I can no longer enjoy my life and my time on this earth is at an end, please give my organs and tissues to those in need who will be able to derive joy from their life that they so deserve.”
Participant – Brian Myerson, 2004
“Australia has one of the lowest organ donor rates in the world. Brian Myerson has been a Director of Transplant Australia and in this role he has endeavoured to educate the public to simply consider organ transplantation in the same positive way that they view recycling their household waste -using all the available resources we have on hand to improve the lives of every citizen for the long term benefit of us all.”
Photographer – Belinda Mason, 2004