Heart and kidney transplant recipient John Lafferty knows better than most that one decision can change everything. As DonateLife Week approaches, he’s sharing his story in the hope it inspires more Australians to register as organ and tissue donors.

For John, every bike ride is a reminder of the gift he has been given.

Not long ago, the Canberra local wondered whether he would ever ride again. Today, he’s back in the saddle, cycling more than 100 kilometres a week as he prepares to compete in the Australian Transplant Games.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for the 55-year-old, who underwent a life-saving heart and kidney transplant in 2024 after years of battling polycystic kidney disease.

“It’s completely changed my life,” John says.

John’s journey began with a diagnosis that had already affected generations of his family.

Polycystic kidney disease, or PKD, is a hereditary condition that causes fluid-filled cysts to develop on the kidneys, gradually reducing their function.

His mother and grandmother both lived with the disease, and eventually John did too.

By 2021, both of his kidneys had failed and were removed, leaving him dependent on haemodialysis while he waited for a transplant.

The treatment, with its demanding schedule, quickly became the centre of his life.

“Dialysis is four hours a day, three days a week. You’re tired after it, and just as you’re recovering, you’re tired because you haven’t had it again yet. It takes up all of your life,” says John.

As if losing his kidneys wasn’t enough, the strain of long-term dialysis also took its toll on his heart.

By late 2023, doctors determined John would need not only a kidney transplant, but a new heart as well.

He was airlifted to Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital and placed on the transplant waiting list.

Then came the call.

“It’s daunting,” he says.

“You’re excited, but you’re also sad because somebody has passed away.”

Within hours, John was on his way to Sydney.

Originally, doctors expected to perform the heart transplant first before deciding whether to proceed with the kidney transplant later.

Instead, both operations were completed during a gruelling 14-hour surgery.

John spent more than two weeks in hospital before remaining in Sydney for another three months as doctors closely monitored his recovery.

Like all transplant recipients, the journey didn’t end after surgery.

About six months later, John experienced an episode of organ rejection, something doctors say is common following transplantation.

Fortunately, it was detected early during routine monitoring and quickly brought under control.

Today, his focus has shifted from simply surviving to making the most of the second chance he has been given.

Cycling has once again become a major part of his life, and this year he’ll take part in the Australian Transplant Games, an event celebrating active living after transplantation.

But while John is enjoying life again, he never forgets the person who made it possible.

“I think about my donor constantly,” he says.

In Australia, donor families and recipients remain anonymous, but they can exchange letters through DonateLife.

John chose to write to his donor’s family and later received a heartfelt reply.

“The message I received back was amazing,” he says.

“It helped them to know what had happened and that their loved one’s donation had made a difference.”

That connection reinforced something John already knew. Behind every transplant is a family making an incredibly generous decision during one of the hardest moments of their lives.

Now, John hopes to honour that gift by giving back.

He has recently become a DonateLife volunteer, sharing his story with the community and encouraging more Australians to consider organ and tissue donation.

As DonateLife Week runs from 26 July to 2 August, he’ll be visiting local businesses and helping raise awareness across Canberra.

“What we’re really trying to do is get people talking,” he says.

“We want people to register, but we also want them to have that conversation with their family.”

It’s a message John believes is just as important as signing up.

Although Australians can register their decision to become an organ and tissue donor, families are still asked to confirm that decision if donation becomes possible.

Without knowing their loved one’s wishes, some families choose not to proceed.

“It’s much better if you’ve already had that discussion and your family really knows that’s what you want to happen,” John says.

Despite widespread public support for organ donation, only around one in three Australians are registered.

At any one time, thousands of Australians are waiting for a life-saving transplant.

One organ donor has the potential to save up to seven lives and improve many more through eye and tissue donation.

John also wants to dispel one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding donation.

People often assume they’re too old or too unhealthy to become a donor.

His own family’s experience proves otherwise.

“My grandmother was 78 when she passed away,” he says.

“She’d been on dialysis for 18 years and had polycystic kidney disease, but they were still able to use her corneas.

“No matter how broken you think you are or how old you think you are, there may still be something you can offer.”

John himself has also become a donor.

Although his diseased heart could no longer sustain his own life, healthy heart valves were able to be donated to help someone else.

“I got to pay it forward straight away,” he says.

As DonateLife Week encourages Australians to register and start conversations with those closest to them, John hopes his own story serves as a reminder of what’s possible.

“If my story encouraged just one person to register, it would mean everything,” he says.

“Only a small percentage of people who register are able to become organ donors because of the circumstances in which they pass away.

“But one donor can save multiple lives and change many more.

“That one decision could give someone else the same second chance I’ve been given.”

DonateLife Week runs from Sunday 26 July to Sunday 2 August. Register as an organ and tissue donor in just one minute at donatelife.gov.au or through Medicare, and most importantly, let your family know your decision.