IT's never easy to broach the subject of death, especially when it's with the parent of a child taken too soon.
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In DonateLife Week, to promote organ and tissue donation, I was expecting a really difficult discussion.
But, in the ethos of the foundation established in honour of her son, Kathy Kelly was a positive ambassador.
Thomas Kelly was 18 and on a night out in Sydney when one punch thrown by a stranger effectively ended his life.
Not 24 hours later, the Kelly family enacted a decision that Thomas had made for himself just 12 months before.
On doctors' advice they switched off his life support, and donated Thomas's organs to many transplant patients.
Mrs Kelly said knowing Thomas had discussed the decision with his father helped ease the anguish in his final hours.
"I suppose he really didn't think anything would ever happen to him ... It's not something that you anticipate," she said.
But "I'm grateful ... because when we were in the hospital, Ralph could relay the conversation that they had.
"That was a positive, saying yes, if I can't live, then somebody else may as well have that opportunity through me."
Australia has an opt-in system, where potential donors must be first listed on the Australian Organ Donor Register.
Our overall rates of organ and tissue donation are low for a developed country, for many reasons.
Only one in 100 hospital deaths occurs in circumstances that make the transplant of organs and tissues viable.
Parliament revoked the declaration of donor intentions on NSW licences in 2012, sadly making it an overlooked issue.
And, frequently, next-of-kin refuse to enact consent in the sorrow and confusion of a loved one's final hours.
Countries with an opt-out system may have higher donor rates, but not always comparatively successful transplant rates.
There's no easy answer, but it doesn't have to be a difficult discussion. Talk to the people you love about it today.
To support the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, including their September gala ball, see thomaskellyyouthfoundation.org.au