Organ donors needed - advocate

A Palmerston North man who has gone through kidney failure, dialysis, and a kidney and pancreatic transplant, is championing a Parliament bill where donors would get better compensated.

Robert O’connor was just 6 months old when he became a type-1 diabetic in 1964. He wants to raise awareness of organ donation shortages.

Despite living a life of controlled blood sugars, exercise, and healthy eating to delay the onset of dialysis, O’connor was diagnosed with kidney failure in 1997.

He started the ‘‘exhausting’’ process of dialysis treatment four times a day, each treatment lasting 40 minutes a time, in September 2015.

A call from Auckland City Hospital at 2am one March morning changed his life.

O’connor had transplant surgery after receiving a kidney and pancreas from a deceased donor.

In Auckland he met other patients who had kidney failure and were undergoing dialysis, and realised he was one of the lucky ones.

‘‘It made me well aware that basically what I had been through was really not a lot compared to these people – they had been through a hell of a lot more than I had.’’

Now 51, he is raising awareness of the need for more organ donors.

He believes organ donations are hugely needed and demand would only increase in New Zealand.

O’connor is volunteering his time at the renal unit in Palmerston North.

He is supportive of the National MP Chris Bishop’s Financial Assistance for Live Organ Donors Bill currently going through Parliament.

The bill, first drafted by Michael Woodhouse in 2010, was taken over by National MP Chris Bishop.

The bill would see donors being paid about 80 per cent of their income following surgery and is similar to the ACC model.

Bishop said it offered more financial support than was currently available.

He said there were about 650 New Zealanders currently undergoing dialysis and waiting for a kidney.

‘‘Quite a few people are not aware of the organ shortage that we have.’’

The bill had its first reading in Parliament and is due back from the select committee later this month.

PHOTO: WARWICK SMITH/FAIRFAX NZ Former type-1 diabetic Robert O’connor wants to raise awareness for the growing need of organ donations in New Zealand.