But while organ donor numbers in Australia increased by 9 per cent last year, we continue to lag behind the world’s leading countries for transplants.

Just 337 Australians donated organs last year, benefiting 1001 people in need of a transplant.

New South Wales man David Gough is on a mission to increase those figures, and ensure more lives are saved, by raising awareness about organ donation.

Today, Mr Gough will leave on an 8000-kilometre motorcycle ride through ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory, to encourage people to register as organ donors and make sure their families are aware of their wishes.

The ride is a tribute to Mr Gough’s daughter Melody, who died in a car accident when she was 26 years old.

“Melody was registered as an organ donor – I hadn’t been aware of it, but she had discussed it with her mother,” Mr Gough said.

Melody’s generous decision helped save the lives of three people, who are still alive today.

Mr Gough will share Melody’s story in Ballarat on February 9, when he is escorted into Ballarat from Ballan by members of the Ballarat Ulysses Motorcycle Club to meet Ballarat liver transplant recipient Brent Sternberg and his family.

Brent, who will turn 19 later this month, underwent the life-saving operation when he was just three years old.

His mother Janeen Sternberg said her son would soon go back on the waiting list for a second transplant.

“Last time Brent needed a liver within 48 hours, and it was a miracle that he got one,” Mrs Sternberg said.

“Now, we could be waiting years.

“People need to have that conversation because you never know what’s going to happen.

“Had we lost Brent at that time and been approached (to donate his organs), I don’t know how I would have responded because, as a family, we hadn’t ever spoken about it.”

To mark the start of DonateLife Week, the Sternbergs will participate in an organ donation awareness walk at Lake Wendouree on February 19.

The event will take place in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens at 10am and all Ballarat residents are encouraged to attend.

More information about becoming an organ donor is available at donatelife.gov.au/