About Us

Australian Tissue Donation Network provides opportunities for the Australian community to donate their tissue and bone during routine surgery and also after they pass away.

Bone and tissue donation provides an opportunity to save and heal 100’s of lives. Hip replacement surgery, planned caesarians and registering to become a bone marrow donor are all forms of living donation. Death is never a nice topic of conversation but there are many positives that can arise as a result of it, deceased donation provides us with the opportunity to heal over 100 lives. All donors must undergo a screening process to assess their suitability. Donor screening is performed by trained Australian Tissue Donation Network staff.

The Medical/Social Questionnaire is an important part of this screening process and consists of a series of questions designed to explore a potential donor’s medical history and environmental risks, as well as a risk assessment based on social behaviour, lifestyle, travel and origin.

Trained Australian Tissue Donation Network staff perform a telephone, or face to face interview with the potential donors to ensure this questionnaire is complete. The questions are clear and unambiguous, designed to be easy to understand and, although some are of a personal nature, all information is kept 100% confidential by the Australian Tissue Donation Network.

What is Tissue Donation?

In Australia the donation of eyes and tissue (soft tissues, bones, skin etc.) makes up the largest portion of donation and transplantation, with a significantly higher number of referrals compared to whole organ referrals.

Eye and tissue banks provide significant benefits within the health sector. Donations of tissue can significantly improve the lives of recipients and in some cases, is lifesaving.

Each year thousands of lives are transformed through receiving donated soft tissue. Bone donated from generous everyday Australians is crafted into much needed graft material known as “allografts”. Patients undergoing routine total hip replacement surgery can choose to donate the bone removed during this operation, that would otherwise be disposed of.

The donation of bone can be made in two ways; live donation and deceased donation. The Australian Tissue Donation Network™ Femoral Head Donation Program facilitates the donation of the Femoral Head, removed during routine primary total hip replacement surgery and that would otherwise be discarded, from live, consenting donors. Bone donation is voluntary and does not alter how the hip replacement surgery is performed; it bears no cost to the donor and, as such, is referred to as a community service. Just one donation has the potential to change the lives of many.

Our Mission

The Femoral Head program has steadily gained momentum since its introduction to the Australian Tissue Donation Network™. Currently the program is established in more than 25 private hospitals across NSW and VIC, however, with many other hospitals eager to participate, this number continues to grow.

Rates of tissue donation in Australia are amongst the lowest in the world. In 2013, just over 4000 Australians donated tissue. While donation within Australia is increasing, it is a key focus of the program to raise awareness and to ensure all Australians are informed, and aware of their ability to help others through donation. The program was developed in response to an increasing number of donors championing the cause of donation, and to this day, the program continues to be driven by passionate donors from all over Australia.

Australian Tissue Donation Network’s mission is to change lives through tissue donation and raise awareness and educate everyday Australians about donation.

The education of participating hospital staff is key to the success of the program. As such, the program is committed to providing ongoing support to participating hospitals and their staff. Regular education sessions, in-services, as well as regular hands on assistance in theatres is offered.

Our Team

Debbie Stracey

Executive Director

Dip App Sci (Nursing) CTBS Post Grad Cert Onc, ICU, Donor Health Care, MBA

Debbie completed her Diploma of Nursing in1991, she then worked in many fields of transplant at St Vincent’s Hospital including Cardiothoracic and Renal, she then spent 12 years in Bone Marrow Transplant / Haematology where she fulfilled roles such Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Clinical Nurse Consultant.

In 2002, Debbie completed her ICU Certificate and spent many years working in this speciality. In 2006, she became the Clinical Nurse Consultant in Oncology at The Northern Cancer Institute at North Shore Private.

She started at Australian Biotechnologies as a Donor Coordinator in 2015 and transferred to Australian Tissue Donation Network with the Femoral Head Donation Program in 2016. Debbie completed her CTBS in 2016 and Commenced the Masters in Donor Health Care Pilot Course with the University of Amsterdam which she completed in 2018.

Debbie has recently completed her MBA and is enjoying her role as the Executive Director of Australian Tissue Donation Network.