Staff at Sydney Adventist Hospital (San) swapped their scrubs and uniforms for sporting jerseys on September 4, supporting an organ donation initiative with a personal connection to the hospital.

Jersey Day was inspired by 13-year-old Nathan Gremmo, who became an organ donor after he died following a road accident in 2015. His organs helped save the lives of six people.

Gremmo’s sister, Annaliese Liddicoat, is now a student midwife at San and joined the staff in marking Jersey Day and encouraging conversations about organ donation.

Liddicoat said her family’s experience highlighted the importance of discussing organ donation before a family is faced with the decision.

A few weeks before his accident, Gremmo had watched a documentary about organ donation and told his father he wanted to become an organ donor.

“This made my family’s decision a lot easier and went on to help us deeply with our grief,” Liddicoat said.

“Hearing feedback on Nath’s organ recipients and how much their lives had improved because of him was something we were also able to hold on to, and this is where Jersey Day was born," she said.

Liddicoat remembers her brother as “larger than life”—gentle, funny, adventurous, kind, and devoted to his family.

“He loved being outside, family holidays, jet skiing, boating, surfing, riding dirt bikes and horses, and going to footy [football/soccer] all weekend with Dad,” she said. “He made the most of the short 13 years he had.”

While Gremmo's absence continues to be deeply felt by the family, Liddicoat said knowing his organ recipients had been given the opportunity to make new memories with their own families and friends was comforting.

Gremmo’s time in the pediatric intensive care unit at Westmead Children’s Hospital also influenced Liddicoat's decision to pursue a career in healthcare.

“The nurses who cared for Nathan and my family were so gentle and thoughtful,” she said. “They made a big impact on our experience, and I hope to take those values into my own nursing career, whether it’s the best or hardest day of someone’s life.”

Liddicoat said seeing her colleagues at San support Jersey Day was particularly meaningful.

“It is so special to be able to come to work and see my work friends and the San staff wearing jerseys,” Liddicoat said.

“It makes me very proud of the legacy Nath has left behind, and I hope Jersey Day creates a conversation that may make someone’s decision in their worst time even the tiniest bit easier.”

Around 1,800 Australians are currently on the transplant waitlist. While most Australians support organ and tissue donation, only around one-third are registered donors. One organ donor can save the lives of up to seven people.

Liddicoat said the aim of Jersey Day was not simply to encourage more people to become organ donors, but to normalize conversations about donation among families and friends.

“It is amazing to be registered as an organ donor, but the decision is ultimately at the discretion of your family and next of kin,” she said.

“It can be so difficult to make a decision this big when losing a loved one, so we believe having these discussions prior is so important in improving organ donation outcomes.”

Asked what Gremmo would think of the initiative that grew from his decision, Liddicoat said she believed he would be “quietly proud”.

“He would be proud of how big Jersey Day has become and how it has impacted so many families,” she said. “I think he would be eager to know his recipients and what their life is like now.”

The original article was published on the South Pacific Division news site, Adventist Record.