Thank you day

'Thank you for my yesterday, my today and my tomorrow.'

These heartfelt words are from New Zealanders whose lives have been transformed through the generosity of donors and their grieving family and whānau. The decision to donate organs and tissue saves and transforms lives.

Donating organs and tissue is an incredible act of kindness which deserves all this thanks – and more. This Thank You Day, 30 November 2024, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone involved in donation.

Thank you to the donors, their families and whānau, the clinicians and hospital staff, laboratory technicians and scientists, the coronial service. Thank you to everyone involved in the safe transportation of the organs, and much more.

You have all helped change the lives of others forever. 

Thank You Day is also a chance for all of us to help transform the lives of New Zealanders in the future.

You might like to share one of our stories to help raise awareness of organ and tissue donation.

Most importantly, please have the conversation about donation with your family and whānau today.

The gift of life.

“Doctors told me I probably wouldn’t make it to my 30th birthday, but I’ve got a very stubborn streak and wanted to live my best life while I could...that surgery was the best thing I’ve ever done because it gave me back my life. Six months after the transplant, I was skiing on Mt Ruapehu and nine months after that, climbing Nelson’s mountains."

- Jess van Slooten, Transplant recipient

Read Jess' Story

“Thank you to my donor’s family, for their selfless gesture in donating their loved one’s organs. And talk to your loved ones about organ donation; it made yesterday, today, and tomorrow possible for me.”

- Amy Ng-Thomson, Transplant recipient

Read Amy's Story