My name is Lauren and I have been making chronic illness sexy since 1990.
I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth and by the age of 19 I had spent a total of three years in a hospital bed, spent an eighth of my life doing physio and taken over 438, 000 tablets.
Oh, and I had two weeks left to live.
It was at this time I was lucky enough to receive a double lung transplant, which saved my life.
Donate Life Australia are asking – what are you waiting for? (Post continues after video.)
So when Donate Life week comes up, I feel I have to tread a careful line between talking about the beauty of donation and how it saves lives, and the dark reality of Australia’s donation crisis and why we urgently need people to take time to think about registering as a donor.
Why am I afraid? Because there are so many awful things going on in this world, it is easy to just go on with life as is.
I’m also afraid that if you come into my world and see the weekly RIP’s on my Facebook newsfeed because organs have not been available in time, you might curl up and cry and never get out of your pyjamas. But that’s not good for the economy.
Top Comments
Considering most religions support giving organs or tissue after passing I really can't understand when people won't. I know I'm quite logical on these matters but as far as I'm concerned I don't need them so why wouldn't I want to help someone else?!
I've heard people say that they live a "hard" lifestyle or smoke, drink etc so no one could use them but how do you know?! Yes the chances are slim but perhaps they could go to medical research to help future generations! I think it's a final act of kindness & I hope one day that my unused organs can go to a good cause!