Little Deakin Tran is a living example of how organ donations can change a life.

Now eight, he was diagnosed with a rare liver disease at an early age and received a transplant at 14 months old.  Last month, he celebrated seven years since his transplant.

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said such stories highlighted the importance of raising awareness about organ and tissue donation.

With 1,700 Australians now waiting for a life-saving transplant, the Department of Transport has joined DonateLife to raise awareness about registering online at http://www.donatelife.gov.au/decide or http://www.transport.wa.gov.au to be a donor.

Deakin, born with Biliary Atresia, was put on the national registry at six months old.  During this time he was very sick and required up to 10 medications a day.  He was given a transplant, improving his quality of life within days and enabling him to eat and walk again.

Mr Nalder said many West Australians were unaware of the process involved in becoming a donor and just how many people were waiting for a donation.

“We hope that by supporting DonateLife Week, more people over the age of 16 will register as donors and have the conversation with their families and friends about organ donation,” he said.

Just one organ donor can save the life of up to 10 people.  Tissue donors can transform the life of up to 30 people. People can register their donation decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register, the only national register for people to record their decision.

Fact File

• DonateLife Week runs from August 2-9
• In 2013, 1,122 Australians received an organ transplant – a result of the generosity of 391 donors whose families agreed to donation at the time of their loved one’s death
• Your decision to become an organ donor is no longer displayed on your driver’s licence
• The tick-the-box system on drivers licence renewal forms ceased in 2004 when a national database was set up to register potential donors
• The Department of Transport is joining with DonateLife to raise awareness, hoping that more West Australians will speak about organ donation and how to register with their families and friends
• Anyone using the department’s website during DonateLife Week will find messages and links on how to register, along with information on the thousands of lives that have been saved by organ and tissue donors