Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine staff act out for tissue donation

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   Forensic pathologist David Ranson enters the 'stage' for a performance of The Rest In Silence

Live performance in Melbourne has never been quite like this – the stage is a mortuary, the cast are medical professionals.

Staff at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) have taken a novel approach to raising awareness for organ and tissue donation.

They have taken part in The Rest Is Silence, a short play based on the real-life discussions held every day by forensic and medical staff about organ and tissue donation.

One scene involves the case of “Stephen”, a young man who has died in a motorbike accident.

From the mortuary’s observation room, where the audience is placed, nurse Susan Dickie can be heard asking the bereaved mother: “Did Stephen ever speak to you about donation? Did he tell you what he might have wanted?”

The audience can see Ms Dickie conversing with her colleagues, a gurney draped in a blue tarpaulin representing the dead person.

They discuss, in sometimes confronting detail, what organs and tissues might be viable for transplant.

“I’m not an actress, obviously, but I think it is really important to participate in things like this so the public become more aware of tissue donation,” Ms Dickie, who is the VIFM’s tissue-bank coordinator, said.

The Institute hosted four performances on Saturday as part of this week’s Donate Life campaign, to raise awareness of tissue donation, something many Australian donors do not understand well.

“Everybody gets hung up on organ donations,” forensic pathologist David Ranson said.

“The reality is we need thousands more tissues than we need organs so it’s really important to be able to offer bone, skin, corneas, heart valves.

“These can really transform people’s lives.

“Someone who has a severe heart valve problem may be unable to exercise, they can’t walk up stairs – replacing that heart valve can be life-transforming.”

The 'stage' is a mortuary at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine for a performance aimed at increasing awareness of organ and tissue donation       

 

“Tick that tissue box for sure but also talk to your family – make sure your family and friends know that you want to donate,” Associate Professor Ranson said.

The performances took place in a stark and sterile setting but the message was aimed at providing some comfort to grieving families – that the death of one person could mean the opportunity for life for as many as 10 others.

“One of the wonderful things about the end of life is the opportunity to donate,” Ms Dickie said.

“If people knew more about it, it would be a lot easier to make that decision at that awful time.”