Ahiahi mārie, welcome to The Spinoff Daily. Today on The Spinoff: How will climate change affect what foods we can and can’t grow in New Zealand? Are we on the cusp of Kamalamania? And is Christopher Luxon a political grim reaper? But first: We don’t have enough organ donors in New Zealand. Why? T Black: “‘Jessica Manning had been waiting a year and a half for this phone call. “My heart fell out of my butt,’ recalls Manning. ‘I just knew – nobody else would call me at 6.30 in the morning.’ ‘Jess, I think it’s your time,’ the voice on the other end of the line said. It was her donor coordinator. Manning, who was born with multiple heart defects, and facing end-stage heart and liver disease at age 25, was being offered a new heart and liver. ‘It was my only chance of survival,’ Manning says. ‘When I say I was on my deathbed, I could not even walk to my letterbox without almost passing out.’ Nervous energy fizzed in the air. Suddenly, everything was happening, now. There were phone calls to family members – it was not guaranteed Manning would survive the surgery – and logistics to organise, as well as a race across Auckland to get to the hospital in 90 minutes. Despite the 20-hour transplant surgery, followed by time in a coma and having to learn how to hold a pen again, Manning considers herself lucky. But for Manning to be lucky, to receive a new heart and liver, she knows that somewhere, a family was grieving the loss of a loved one. This is the dichotomy of deceased organ donation: one family’s hope is another’s sadness.” Show your support, join up today! "Thank you to The Spinoff team for a balanced news, arts, culture, society, for the (mostly) clear sighted writing and, especially, for the intelligent satire. There needs to be space to be able to laugh" – from a Spinoff member. If you've appreciated our political satire, as well as our journalism, please consider becoming a member today. The return of Death Week on The Spinoff Climate change will make it easier to grow some foods in NZ – but don’t rejoice just yet Kamalamania? Glimmers of inspiration for Harris from the Jacinda Ardern story Is Christopher Luxon a political grim reaper? The evidence suggests yes ‘We're fighting for our children to grow up and be competent in our own language’ At aoga amata, young children are learning the Sāmoan language in a way few of their parents were able to. But in an ageing sector, current teachers worry there will be no one to continue their work. Read more about what is at the heart of aoga amata teacher shortages on The Spinoff now. Christchurch’s secondhand bookshops, ranked and reviewed The country’s oldest Māori trust board just turned 100 – how’s it going? Who’s who in series five of Taskmaster NZ? New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week |
‘Everything I do in life, I do it for my donor’
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