During Donate Life Week, we remember Oshi Cahders.

Oshi Cahders was a healthy, strong and beautiful seven-year-old boy when he was hit by a car in 2014 and tragically lost his life.

Oshi became an organ and tissue donor via DCD (Donation after Circulatory Death). He donated his liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, heart tissues (valves, pericardium and thoracic aortic patch), corneas and scleral tissue.

His donation resulted in six people receiving lifesaving organ transplants.

His pancreas was used for islet cell transplantation, to help people with diabetes.

His heart valves and tissues will be donated to six recipients, and his eyes were used to restore the sight of four people.

Incredibly, this little boy has helped more than 16 people.

“He was such a strong and healthy boy, it would have been such a waste not to pass on his organs and tissue to someone who needed them,” his mum Lisa said. “We didn’t want other parents to have to go through what we went through.”

Lisa says that the family instigated the process and were counselled through it, with information readily available for them.

“We knew that it meant a few extra days before we could turn off his life support. But in a way it was a blessing to spend some more time with him.

“If I put myself in the shoes of those people and families that require organs to live or have improved quality of life, I can see that organ donation is the thing that could help save me or someone I love. I know it’s what Oshi would have wanted too.”

This week is Donate Life Week, raising awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation. To find out more visit: donatelife.gov.au