Hockey WA to shine spotlight on Organ Donation in Lizzie Watkins Round

Hockey WA will highlight the life-changing impact of organ donation during the upcoming Lizzie Watkins Organ Donor Round, taking place from Saturday 3 May to Sunday 4 May.

Round four of the Stiles Electrical Premier League will be dedicated to raising awareness about organ and tissue donation, while honouring the legacy of the late Lizzie Watkins, a beloved member of the North Coast Raiders who saved five lives through organ donation.

Now in its third year, the Lizzie Watkins Organ Donor Round was introduced in 2023, expanding on the tradition started by the North Coast Raiders through the Lizzie Watkins Memorial Match.

This year, the feature match will see the North Coast Raiders take on Whitford at the Troy Pickard Hockey Centre on Saturday 3 May from 4.00pm, headlining a massive day of hockey action for the Raiders.

It will also mark the first time Whitford will participate in the headline match.

Continuing tradition, all North Coast Raiders teams will wear pink armbands or ribbons in Lizzie's honour and to promote awareness of organ donation.

North Coast Raiders president Travis Lester said the round is about more than just hockey - it's about making a life-saving difference.

"This round is about honouring Lizzie's legacy and the incredible gift she gave through organ donation," he said.

"Wearing pink is one way we pay tribute, but the most powerful thing anyone can do is register as an organ donor and have that conversation with their loved ones.

"We'd love to see clubs across the league join us in wearing pink and helping spread awareness through the wider community."

While four in five Australians support organ and tissue donation, only around one in three people are registered to be a donor.

There are currently around 1,800 Australians on the waitlist for an organ transplant, along with a further 14,000 people on dialysis – many of whom could benefit from a kidney transplant.

In 2023, 53% of families in Australia said yes to donation when asked in a hospital setting compared to 55% in 2023.

Last year in WA, 115 people received life-saving organ transplants from 46 deceased organ donors, while 14,045 people registered to become organ donors.

Since the national DonateLife program began in 2009, more than 19,400 people have received life-saving organ transplants from more than 6,900 deceased organ donors.

It only takes one minute to register as an organ and tissue donor.

For more information on organ donation, visit donatelife.gov.au.

The Stiles Electrical Premier League is proudly supported by Stiles Electrical Services.