The gift of life to Lyn, Nicole

They have also shared the experience of having an organ donated to them, so they could live.

This week is National Organ Donor Awareness Week.

Both Lyn and Nicole came forward to the Mail-Times to tell their stories, and encourage Wimmera residents to talk to their own families about signing up to the Australian Organ Donor Register.

Horsham resident Lyn Bullock, now 53, said she found out she needed a liver transplant in August 2000, after 20 years battling a liver disease.

"I had an ongoing liver disease since 1980 and eventually I just got worn out, it was auto-immune chronic active hepatitis," she said.

"Since 1980, I have managed to fairly controlled by medication and exercise, but with the drugs developed a few other things."

Lyn said Victorian hospitals had very few liver transplants in the 1980s.

"The doctor at that stage, my original diagnosis, said they didn't do them in Victoria," she said.

But Lyn knew that it was a possibility.

"Slowly I just started getting more and more tired," she said.

Lyn's doctor sent her to the liver unit at Melbourne's Austin Hospital. She spent five months in hospital on a waiting list for a new liver.

"It was very difficult - I have three children as well," she said.

"You don't really know how you're going - they told me, I didn't have long to live, only a few weeks they would have given me.

"I was just so sick, your body is so toxic half the time you couldn't remember who you were."

Lyn said her family noticed the immediate impact of the transplant.

"I was pretty excited. My family could notice instantly. I got so yellow, I actually turned pink again," she said.

"I just want to say thank you to the donor family, but of course you are not actually allowed to see them."

Lyn said she recovered from the transplant, but has now to face a new battle.

"I have cancer in the lungs, spine and pancreas - they often say there are side-effects with the drugs."

"But I feel so lucky. I would encourage people to donate - there's so much you can donate now, it's not just your main organs; corneas are really needed too."

Lyn Bullock met fellow survivor Nicole Wood through Horsham Swimming Club.

Nicole's mother Judy Wood said Nicole, 14, received her liver transplant on March 3, 2006.

While Nicole had liver disease, she had shown no outward symptoms, so her road to the transplant was sudden.

"Nicole became unwell with abdominal pain - she had her appendix out on Saturday, by Monday surgeon Ian Campbell had performed a routine biopsy shot.

"We went to Ballarat on Tuesday, from Ballarat to Melbourne on Wednesday, we were put on the waiting list Friday morning and Professor Bob Jones made Nicole a priority one case for a transplant by Friday afternoon.

"By Friday night we were told Nicole was very sick, and told that she might not make it to Saturday afternoon.

"Half an hour later they found a liver - very suddenly. Nicole is incredibly lucky to be here."

The St Brigid's College student is now back playing netball for Horsham Saints, also enjoying basketball but `school is school'.

Nicole said she did not remember much about her ordeal and despite having to take many drugs to keep healthy, was happy to be back playing sport and living a normal life.

•To sign up to the Australian Organ Donor Register call 1800 777 203.