Sixteen years after becoming Australia's first multivisceral transplant recipient, Brendan Cole says he now enjoys the everyday moments many people take for granted – moments he once wasn’t sure he’d ever experience. 

"It's funny because I forget what I've been through," Brendan said. 

"I now work full time, I'm a father, I pick up the boys from school, take them to sport, ask what's for dinner and help around the house. That was simply the goal – to have a normal life." 

Brendan was born with a rare bowel disease and spent much of his life in and out of hospital, undergoing countless operations. As his condition worsened, he became dependent on total parenteral nutrition (TPN), receiving all his nutrition through an intravenous drip for around 13 hours every night. 

By 2009, his health had deteriorated to the point where he was running out of treatment options. 

The following year, Brendan underwent Australia's first multivisceral transplant at Austin Health, receiving a small intestine, liver, pancreas and duodenum from a single organ donor.

"A lot of the time I just go about everyday life," he said. 

"When I stop and reminisce, it reminds me what a big gift I've been given and how lucky I am.” 

"I was about three months away from dying, if not sooner. If it wasn't for the team at Austin Health and organ donation, I wouldn't be a father and I wouldn't be doing the community work that I do." 

Professor Adam Testro, Director of Liver and Intestinal Transplant, said Brendan's transplant marked the beginning of Austin Health’s intestinal transplant program, paving the way for others with irreversible intestinal failure. 

Since Brendan’s transplant 16 years ago, the program has performed 23 transplants, including eight since the beginning of 2025. 

Professor Testro said the program is "a testament to innovation, teamwork and the enduring impact of organ donation in transforming lives." 

For Brendan, the transplant didn't just save his life – it gave him the chance to experience milestones he once thought were impossible. 

"I look at it as a privilege," he said. 

"I'm so grateful for what's happened. Without the team and organ donation, I wouldn't be able to do any of this – eat a full diet or work a full-time job. 

"A lot of people take the simple things for granted, whereas those simple things mean the world to me." 

While Brendan has built a life he once could only dream of, he says none of it would have been possible without one family making the generous decision to donate their loved one's organs. 

"Their incredibly generous donation has allowed me to lead a full life, foster a 14-year-old-boy and allowed me to do community work. I look at their donation as the ability to do more good in the world. I continue to honour their gift. I try to give back." 

As we mark DonateLife Week, Brendan hopes his story encourages others to have an important conversation with the people closest to them. 

"You don't know the impact you can make until you have that talk and make that decision," he said. 

"You could change people's lives. You could make a difference in the world.” 

"It may seem like a simple conversation, but knowing what we want and sharing our wishes can give families peace of mind during one of the most difficult times of their lives." 

For Brendan, that conversation changed everything. 

Sixteen years later, the greatest gift he received continues to shape not only his own life, but the lives of his family and the community around him.

This DonateLife Week, take a minute to register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au - and start the conversation with your loved ones.