Rockhampton father Luke Rose is living proof that one decision can change everything.
After receiving not one but two kidney transplants including one from a complete stranger, he's using DonateLife Week to encourage Central Queenslanders to have the conversation that could one day save a life.
At 46, Luke is living a life he once wasn't sure he would have.
Luke received his first kidney transplant from his mum, Rosemary, whose generous gift gave him years of good health. But when that kidney began to fail in 2016, just after he bought his first home, he was forced back onto dialysis while waiting for another chance at life.
Three days a week, Luke spent four hours connected to a dialysis machine while balancing part-time work, regular gym sessions and raising his son, Jayden.
Dialysis kept him alive, but it also dictated every part of his life.
"I had to plan everything around treatment," Luke said.
"You don't realise how much freedom you lose until it's gone. You can't just travel, play sport or be spontaneous because dialysis always comes first."
After two years of waiting, the call finally came in June 2018. A stranger had donated a kidney.
Today, he is enjoying the simple moments that many take for granted, spending quality time with Jayden, travelling, and staying active.
Since his transplants, Luke has proudly represented transplant recipients at the Australian Transplant Games, British Transplant Games, and World Transplant Games.
While competing across multiple sports, his greatest success has come in swimming, where he has won numerous medals at both national and international levels.
Left: Luke and his mum Rosemary, his first kidney donor. Right: Luke with his medals from the Transplant Games.
This year marks another exciting milestone as Luke will travel to Germany in September to represent Australia at the Transplant Football World Cup.
"I'll always be grateful to the person and family who gave me a second chance," he said.
"Without organ donation, I wouldn't be here living this life with my son.
“Registering as a donor takes just a minute, but it has the power to change someone else's life forever."
Luke is sharing his story as part of DonateLife Week, which runs from 26 July to 2 August and is Australia's national awareness campaign encouraging more people to register as organ and tissue donors and, just as importantly, discuss their decision with their loved ones.
Central Queensland Health Organ Donation and Intensive Care Unit Nurse Josephine Reoch said around 2,000 Australians were currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
"For those waiting, it can be a matter of life and death," Josephine said.
"This DonateLife Week, I'm urging everyone to please register as an organ and tissue donor.
“Then, talk to your family and let them know of your decision because someone’s life could depend on it. "
"Registering as an organ and tissue donor is important because most families are much more likely to support donation when they know their loved one’s wishes."
While most Queenslanders support organ donation, only about 30% of eligible Central Queenslanders are registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register.
In the past year, almost 400 people in Rockhampton, 356 people in Gladstone and 139 people in the Central Highlands have joined the register.
Anyone can register as an organ and tissue donor in just one minute through Medicare or at donatelife.gov.au.