News

Joondalup Health Campus’ team effort to support organ donation

Jul 30, 2025

This DonateLife Week (27 July – 3 August), Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) is joining the national effort to encourage all Australians to register as organ and tissue donors and be the reason someone else gets a second chance at life. 

JHC has been a part of the DonateLife network for more than 12 years, with a dedicated, collaborative team that facilitates organ donation.

Minnetta Jackson has held the role of JHC Organ and Tissue Donation Clinical Nurse Specialist for three years.

“Organ donation requires strong collaboration among many departments and specialties, other service providers, and the broader DonateLife network to ensure potential donors are identified early and organs and tissues are made available to the most appropriate recipients, among a very sick group of patients on the waiting lists, as efficiently as possible,” said Minnetta.

Currently there are 1,800 people on the organ donation waitlist in Australia.

Four in five Australians say they support donation, but only one in three are registered to be a donor on the Australian Organ Donor Register (AODR).

Organ donation saves lives in the case of those living with kidney disease, heart failure, lung and liver disease, whereas tissue donation can enhance the lives of those who require corneal transplants or require bone, tendons or skin grafts.

“At JHC, once a potential donor is identified what follows is a caring collaborative conversation with the patient’s grieving family to provide information and support families in their donation decision.

“For most families, they are experiencing immense grief and, often shock at the passing of a loved one so it’s a difficult time for decision making but we always find that the decision is easier if the loved ones’ intentions around donation are known. That is where registration comes in.”

JHC is promoting donor registration throughout DonateLife week at a stand in the hospital and on take away coffee cups.

“The more people that share their wishes, the more donations are likely to take place,” said Minnetta.

JHC has an outstanding culture around ensuring donations can proceed. There is a lot that needs to occur in a short space of time, including radiology, pathology, sonography, physiotherapy and then the surgery, and this often takes place out of hours.

“It is quite common for theatre staff to continue working after their rostered shifts or come in earlier for donation surgeries to occur. The team truly go above and beyond to facilitate and support donation surgeries,” said Minnetta.

JHC Organ and Tissue Donation Clinical Nurse Specialist Minnetta Jackson (front row, second from right) and colleagues who facilitate organ donation.