While Donor Mate is all about celebrating life, the impetus for its creation was when Peter Chwal spent 15 months languishing on the transplant list as a result of an autoimmune condition called primary schelorsing cholangitis. While waiting on the transplant list Peter endured numerous hospitalisations from life threatening infections. That experience drew Donor Mate’s co-founders’ attention to the fact that Australia ranks a lowly 22nd in the developed world for organ donation. 40% of families decline organ donation and with only 1% of the population likely to pass away in a manner suitable for organ donation, Donor Mate’s co-founders decided that Australia can’t afford for so many to say ‘no’. Their research determined a range of things that could improve that figure, including initiatives that cause 18 to 35 year olds, who are the worst at registering as organ donors, to register. Given no other charity or group was specifically raising awareness in a manner that would appeal to this demographic, Donor Mate was developed with professional branding support to appeal to this age group. Donor Mate was co-founded by Peter Chwal, Ryan Rampling and Peter Grainger.