Melbourne Storm are once again partnering with DonateLife in the lead-up to the Club’s Round 18 clash with the Canberra Raiders at AAMI Park to continue encouraging Australians to sign up as organ and tissue donors.
Alongside DonateLife Week, the Club will kick off a week of activities, leading into game day. Registering only takes one minute but could save up to seven lives.
The Doherty family whose son Hunter is a liver recipient, visited the Club earlier today to share his story with the Storm squad, highlighting and reiterating the importance of getting behind DonateLife Week.
“We're very lucky to have him here with us today,” Hunter's mum shared.
“When he was 7-and-a-half months old he had a liver transplant...he was diagnosed with biliary atresia which is a rare liver disease that affects one in 25,000 babies,
“It wasn’t until we sat down with the doctor that it clicked that in order for him to get a liver, someone would have to pass away and die for them to donate their organ to him and only then, they would have had to registered to do that,
“Every transplant anniversary we celebrate. We have the family over for dinner, light a candle and think about the donor and their family and we’re so thankful and grateful to them for saying ‘yes’ at that time.”
The NRL team will also wear DonateLife t-shirts, magenta socks and beanies throughout this week’s training sessions.
A cross-code competition is unfolding as Storm goes up against the Western Bulldogs AFL Club in DonateLife’s Great Registration Race. The two clubs will compete to register the most Aussies as organ and tissue donors.
Donate Life: Storm v Western Bulldogs
Storm’s home ground of AAMI Park will also get behind the cause, lighting up in DonateLife magenta all week leading up to and during the game.
Matchday, fans can register as organ donors and meet the DonateLife team at the DonateLife pop-up booth at the Storm fan zone on Gosch’s Paddock.
As match day partners, DonateLife will also be present in the Round 18 Coin Toss, Guard of Honour and sideline players and staff will wear DonateLife badges. Ball kids will also wear DonateLife t-shirts.
It takes one minute to register, and all you need is your phone and Medicare card.
