Health

You could be responsible for this smile

“It's just such a beautiful gift; if you lose someone in your life, they have legacy to create life somewhere else or save a life somewhere else."

Last month this eight-year-old not only wore the biggest grin of his life, but made medical history.

Zion Harvey became the first child to successfully have a bilateral hand transplant, with Philadelphia doctors spending ten hours in operating room.

This beaming boy – whose hands were amputated at age two due to an infection threatening to shut down his organs – now uses the hands and forearms of someone else.

And what is he looking forward to most?

“My favourite thing [will be to] wait for [my sister] to run into my hands as I pick her up and spin her around,” he said after the operation.

Like Zion, there are more than 1600 people waiting for organ transplants during any one month in Australia.

But only one in three Aussies know whether their family members would donate. And one in two young people are unsure about the decision.

“We’ve come a long way since 30 years ago… these operations are happening every day now,” says Jacqueline McKenzie who stars in the film, Force of Destiny, which tells a love story on the transplant waiting list.

“But people need to talk about it more.”

Donate Life Week – which is currently being celebrated – is raising awareness about organ donation and encouraging family discussion around the issue.

“It’s sort of one of those tiny boxes at the bottom of the form when you’re getting your drivers licence that asks ‘Would you do this?’,” says Jacqueline.

“It’s so tiny, and while it’s so brilliant that it’s there in the first place, it would be great if people started becoming aware of what ticking that box can do.

Because Zion Harvey isn’t the only person whose life has changed since his transplant. His mother can see her boy grow up happier and healthier, while his little sister can now jump into his arms.

“It’s just such a beautiful gift; if you lose someone in your life, they have the legacy to create life somewhere else or save a life somewhere else.”

So today, talk about. And #SayYESsavelives

For more information about Donate Life Week go to donatelife.gov.au and for details about the Force of Destiny film release go to forceofdestiny.com.au|target=”_blank”

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