As DonateLife Week approaches, 23-30 July, Commonwealth Games winner Chloe Hoskins is among the local cyclists aiming to raise awareness for organ donation rates across Australia, which are yet to recover from the hit taken during the pandemic.

The 2023 DonateLife Cycling Challenge will see the peloton ride either 100km, 160km, or 200km through Canberra’s beautiful (but hilly) terrain on Sunday 23 July.

In doing this, they pledge to raise awareness and a total of $20,000 towards furnishing the family rooms in the Intensive Care Unit at the Canberra Hospital once the Critical Services Building is finalised.

The awareness raised is especially pertinent in the ACT, where donor rates are lower than most of the country.  

Dr Sean Chan, State Medical Director at DonateLife ACT, Intensivist and Deputy Trauma Director of Trauma Services at Canberra Hospital, estimates that following the pandemic, donation rates have been set back nearly 10 years.

This isn’t unique to Australia either. “It’s an international phenomenon that we’ve seen in the donation sector,” says Dr Chan. This is what sparked the “campaign of awareness” that he hopes the   inaugural Cycling Challenge will be.

“Ultimately, it’s something we need to have a think about again as a society,” he says. “Just understanding what the right position is for them.

“Let’s face it, no matter what plan for yourself, you aren’t there to speak for yourself when the time comes.

“It’s important that your family understands and will respect your decision, whatever that may be.”

A common myth about organ donation is that it is a solely personal choice. However, in Australia, your family will be asked if you wanted to be a donor and to provide consent to donation.

“If you haven’t had the conversation beforehand and your family is left wondering, it’s a very difficult decision to make in the midst of losing a loved one,” says Dr Chan.

When discussing donation with family, he says it is important to keep in mind just how rare the chance to be a donor is.

“It’s around one per cent of people who die in Australia that even have an opportunity to be considered as an organ donor, let alone be medically suitable.

“The chances of being able to donate are vanishingly small, and it’s an opportunity that we can’t waste,” he says.

Riding alongside Dr Chan will be Chloe Hoskins, Canberra local and winner of the women’s road race at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Earlier this year, Chloe started working at sponsor of the Cycling Challenge, Synergy Group. Around that time, she also began training with fellow athlete Josh Lindenthaler as he prepared for the 2023 World Transplant Games in Perth.

“Josh received a heart transplant less than two years ago, which just blew my mind,” says Chloe. “When the opportunity came up to participate in this ride, it was a no-brainer.

“What is so important about this ride is that it’s bringing donation into the public consciousness. It’s an option, and it’s up to you to opt in.

“Meeting Josh and participating in this ride has really hammered home that I do need to opt in,” says Chloe, who then demonstrated how easy it is to register as an organ donor through the Medicare app.

A two-time national champion in the transplant and adaptive category of Australian Cycling, Josh completed his first race in August 2022, eight months after receiving a new heart.

“I was diagnosed in 2008 with dilated cardiomyopathy and slowly got worse over the years.

“I’ve been into mountain biking and cycling for close to 15 years. Even when I was getting sicker and sicker, I retired probably three times,” smiles Josh. “It was just something that I was 100 per cent going to get back to if I was physically able.”

After suffering a ventricular tachycardia (VT) storm at home, Josh’s mother conducted CPR – which has a survival rate of five to ten per cent outside of hospital.

“Surviving that was the first miracle … Getting a transplant three weeks later was the next,” he says.

On top of nearly losing his life, Josh received his heart in late 2021, and wasn’t allowed any visitors during the first few weeks of recovery due to pandemic restrictions.

In spite of this, once his sternum was healed, Josh hit the ground running. The climb up and down Mount Stromlo became his “test bed” as he regained momentum.

As well as training for the World Transplant Games, Josh will be riding the 100km option for DonateLife.

Visit canberrahospitalfoundation.org.au/event/donatelife-act-cycling-challenge/ to register or donate.

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