When Annette Taylor was just shy of 12 years in 1975, her family had to do the unthinkable.

Not long after she had two conversations with her mother, Marjorie Taylor, about wanting to become an organ donor — which was at the time limited  to kidneys alone — she passed away.

In the most difficult of times, Marjorie made sure her daughter’s wishes were fulfilled, and Annette became the first organ donor in the ACT.

“She was just 11 years of age. She was in her first year of high school at St Pat’s at Braddon when she came home from school on the Thursday afternoon and said she didn’t feel well,” Marjorie said.

“By the time I’d gotten home from work, I could see she wasn’t well, called a doctor and she had a cerebral haemorrhage [a type of stroke] and a cardiac arrest and eventually she passed away on the Sunday.

“She was a very intelligent little girl, very inquisitive and she would make in-depth inquiries about things that she was interested in.”

Marjorie said this inquisitiveness turned to Annette deciding that ‘if ever anything were to happen to her, she would like her kidneys to be transplanted’.

“When it’s told to you that your loved one, a child, isn’t going to make it, it’s a huge, huge shock,” Marjorie said.

“It’s the worst shock that you can experience. I’ve experienced my dad, my mum, brothers and sisters, and very close loved ones pass away, but a child, a young child, is just shock.

“You just go numb. And there was something that clicked within my brain to go onto autopilot and so I said , ‘Look, this is what she  wanted to be done, the opportunity’s here — let it happen.’”

She said over the years, the family’s grief turned to pride.

“I am very proud of what she’s done,” Marjorie said.

“To help a man in his 40s who had a family and was on dialysis for three or four years, going backwards and forwards to that and then working at night, that must just have been horrendous for them.

“A 14-year-old boy received the other kidney, and he was in school, not much older than Annette, so your heart goes out to him and his family. I’m so glad Annette gave him a better life.

“And when all of this sinks in, you’re just so proud and you’re just so glad that you’ve done it.

“Fifty years on, I think a lot has changed within the hospital situation, there’s every bit of support that you would wish for.

“The message that I would really like to get out to people is: sign up, yes, not only sign up, talk to your families about it, talk to your friends about it, even for me, talk to your enemies about it, because it’s a wonderful gift.

“And it’s something that we all need to consider, to be responsible and kind human beings.”

For Annette’s only sibling, her brother Michael, grief also turned to pride.

“It’s something which can’t be done again, to be the first of anything,” he said.

“Grief becomes pride over the years, that a young person could have such an impact.”

Michael is 18 months older than Annette and was just 13 years old when she died.

“We were just normal kids. As siblings do, you fight and squabble, but you always have each other’s backs. We got on well,” he said of his relationship with Annette.

Michael said at the time, he didn’t realise the significance or the impact of the conversation Annette had with her mother.

Michael said losing his sister has left a void in the family, but that sharing Annette’s story through DonateLife has been very helpful.

Michael’s wife, Debbie, said the family was grateful that Annette’s memory was being kept alive and recognition of the impact and legacy makes the family incredibly proud.

There is a bench at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in her honour that was organised by a number of donor families.

Organ donation is more important now than ever. There are currently 1800 people nationally on the organ transplant wait list, and a further 16,000 people on dialysis, many of whom would benefit from a kidney transplant.

DonateLife ACT Agency Manager Nadia Burkolter said it was very significant to reach the 50-year milestone.

“The Taylors’ story is one of courage, determination, and generosity, and to be able to share in this milestone with Annette’s family is an absolute privilege,” she said.

Ms Burkolter said there have since been significant changes, including legislation, advances in expertise, evolution of technology and medical acceptance criteria.

“Since the national reform agenda (established in 2009), led by the Organ and Tissue Authority, a nationally coordinated approach across all the states and territories has seen improved access to life-saving transplants,” she said.

“It is thanks to organ donors and their families that this is possible.”

She said it was important for people to register as organ and tissue donors.

“Fifty years ago this month, the only reason the ACT saw their first organ donor was because a young girl had spoken about her wish to donate her kidneys if ever the opportunity arose to help others. Remarkably, she had that conversation not once, but twice,” Ms Burkolter said.

“Today, half a century later, more families say yes to organ donation when they are confident about their loved ones’ wishes.

“But when the conversation hasn’t happened, and the individual hasn’t registered their donation wishes on the Australian Organ Donor Register, families are more likely to say no than yes.”

To register your decision, visit donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today.

DonateLife Week is being held from Sunday 27 July to Sunday 3 August 2025, to encourage more Australians to get behind organ and tissue donation.

Four in five Australians say they support donation, but only one in three are registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register .