A Miracle Close to Home: The Power of Organ Donation

As the WA hockey community gears up for the Lizzie Watkins Organ Donor Round this weekend, for one member of that community, the round represents far more than another set of fixtures.

On Friday 12 December 2025, Lane Goss’s life changed forever — for the better.

Lane underwent a heart and double-lung transplant at Fiona Stanley Hospital after being gifted what he describes as a “miracle”.

The complex procedure had not been performed in Western Australia for more than five years.

The transplant was the culmination of a lifetime of health challenges and significantly impacted Lane’s ability to play the game he loves.

“I was born with a heart defect called Pulmonary Artesia VSD and MAPCAS (lung disease) where the heart muscle grew inwards and the new muscle died off, creating clogging of ventricles, arteries and vales amongst other complications,” Lane said.

“In 2024 I caught an infection called endocarditis.

“I had an artificial valve at the time and the bacteria decided to park up there for a while.

“It was from that point on that my heart started to deteriorate quite rapidly.

“Although I was on IV antibiotics for most of 2024, it just didn’t completely fix the damage that had been cause to both my heart and lungs.

At the start of 2025, Lane moved to Karratha to teach, but by halfway through Term 3 he was offered a place on the organ transplant list.

“I relocated to Perth and waited about two and a half months before I received the call that changed everything,” he said.

Lane Goss in hospital with Murray McIntyre (left). Picture: Supplied

Hockey has been a lifelong constant in Lane’s world.

Growing up surrounded by relatives who played the game, it was almost inevitable that he would follow the same path.

He first picked up a hockey stick at just four years old, training on the old Dardanup School oval in the South West, before progressing through junior hockey at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School and into senior ranks with Boyanup Hockey Club.

“[Boyanup] is where I have some of my best memories and biggest learnings not just about hockey but life in general,” Lane said.

“Growing up in the changerooms, being around your heroes that you’d see play every weekend and them helping you out along the way was something I never took for granted.”

Lane Goss (pictured left) with former Boyanup Hockey Club teammates. Picture: Supplied

After moving to Perth for further studies, Lane transitioned into an off-field role, joining the coaching team at WASPS Hockey Club and later spending time around the Perth Thundersticks Men’s program.

While he is no longer heavily involved in club land, Lane still enjoys spending weekends at local grounds watching the TeamStar Premier League and keeping a close eye on the next generation of talent emerging from Boyanup.

As the Premier League gets ready to honour the Lizzie Watkins Organ Donor Round this weekend, the occasion holds deeply personal meaning for Lane as an organ donation recipient.

“For Lizzie to do what she did for others at just 24 tells me enough about the type of person she would have been,” he said.

“Although I never met her, something tells me that her friends and family would have absolutely adored her and she would have been the friend to be there for anyone at any time.

“I strongly encourage people to have the conversation with loved ones and explain the importance and benefits that come with being a donor.

“It’s not only the act of giving, but also the act of saving multiple lives from a child to an adult.

“Nobody can give a better gift than life.”

For Lane’s mother, Sarsha Wetherell, the impact of organ donation became profoundly real when it directly affected her family.

“I have always been a registered organ donor – however I now realise how important it is to speak to your loved ones to let them know your wishes,” she said.

“For our family, organ donation has truly saved Lane’s life, it gave him a future.

“As a parent, there’s no greater gift than being able to see your child, no matter their age, be able to dream, plan and set goals for their future.”

Sarsha hopes more people understand the true meaning behind that decision.

“I want people to understand that saying yes to organ donation is not just ticking a box – it’s giving someone’s son or daughter a second chance.

“It turns heartbreak and tragedy into hope and I’ll spend the rest of my life being incredibly grateful that someone made that decision – they said YES.

“Because of them, we still get to hear his voice, see his smile, hear his heartbeat and watch him do the everyday things that most people take for granted.

“I would also say that I’m so sorry for their loss, because I know the only reason we were given this miracle is because they were living through unimaginable heartbreak.

“But I want them to know that their loved one’s legacy is real.

“Their gift is living and breathing every single day through Lane and we will never forget that.

“We will carry their generosity with us forever.”

If Lane were ever able to meet his donor, he knows exactly what he would do.

“Organ donors don’t act through words, they act through actions – the action of giving,” he said.

“The first thing I’d do is give them a hug.

“A long hug, to let them know that I’m here because of them. I wouldn’t want to do the talking.

“I’d want them to talk to me — to tell me about their family, their hobbies, their dreams — and I’d just listen.

“I’d want to hear it all and ensure that I knew exactly who this person was and how much they meant to their family.”

As the hockey community comes together this weekend, Lane’s story stands as a powerful reminder of what the Lizzie Watkins Organ Donor Round represents — generosity, courage, and the life-changing difference one decision can make.