DonateLife Week 2023: Leanne Holloway shares how family tragedy helped save multiple lives

"Our family didn't talk about the subject of death, we didn't know that she was registered as an organ donor. We were a little bit surprised," she said.

Melinda Matthews was working at John Hunter Hospital, when she collapsed walking into work and suffered an intracranial haemorrhage on March 23, 2023.

"There was nothing that could be done, the doctor said it was one of those unexplained things that can just happen," Ms Holloway said.

Following her sister's death and coinciding with DonateLife Week 2023, the Port Stephens resident is encouraging people to get more comfortable with talking about organ donation.

"When we found out, we thought she might've just ticked a box without even realising to the full extend of what she was indicating.

"It was only at her funeral that we were told it was a considered decision some years ago," she said.

Ms Holloway said it was comforting to know she had spoken to someone about her decision and reiterated the importance of having those hard conversations with your family and friends.

"Tell your loved ones if you're registered and ask them if they are too. It's not a taboo subject and it needs to be talked about more," she said.

"People need to be more educated on how they could actually save a life or multiple lives through such tragedy they may not expect, in something that could happen so suddenly."

From the heart-wrenching process, Ms Holloway has registered to become a volunteer with DonateLife.

"I didn't understand before this happening, the percentage of people that are registered donors is really quite low and so is the education around it," she said.

According to DonateLife, 80 per cent of Australian aged 16 and over support organ and tissue donation, yet only seven million are registered.

This year in Australia there are around 1800 people on the organ waitlist, including 70 people in dire need of a live-saving heart and 1450 people waiting for a kidney transplant.

Ms Holloway said it was comforting to know her sister has helped save lives.

"Her liver went to an adult, a double lung transplant went to a critically ill adult and her kidneys - one went to a teenager and one went to an adult," she said.

Two of her heart valves are in storage until recipients are found.

"We haven't met the recipients but we would definitely be interested in hearing from them if they wanted to reach out," Ms Holloway said.

"Knowing that she is living on in other people is really comforting and she would have absolutely loved that."

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