Not a day goes by where Sydney's Udani family don't think about their son Deyaan.
He died aged seven four years ago from a brain hemorrhage, but his organs saved four lives after they were donated following his death.
"That was Deyaan's last wish," his father Rupesh told SBS News.
Deyaan's heart went to a seven-year-old girl who only had 10 days to live. His kidneys went to two teenagers and his liver went to a 33-year-old. He also donated his two eyes.
His legacy also lives on through Saffron Day, held on Thursday, which aims to raise awareness among religious and culturally diverse communities about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Australia has more than doubled its organ donation rate in the last decade, but barriers still exist in some diverse communities.
Deyaan Udani (left) with his older sister before he died. Source: Supplied
Danielle Fisher, general manager of the NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service, said death is commonly a taboo subject among these communities, meaning organ donations are generally not talked about or is misunderstood.
"These are really big barriers," she said.
"I think there's also some misconceptions that people feel their religion may not support organ and tissue donation, but we know all major religions support [it] as a sign of goodwill or charity."
Rupesh Udani - an Indian-Australian and follower of the ancient religion of Jainism - admits his own religious and cultural concerns were a barrier.
He said his knowledge about organ donation grew after Deyaan and his older sister learned about it at school and following discussions with a local faith leader and doctor.
"My father told me [if I] gave [Deyaan's] kidney, he would be born in the next life without a kidney, it will be amputated. It made me think, 'oh really?'
"Our culture and our religion says we need to go with the full body, with everything inside. That was the main concern.
Rupesh Udani Source: SBS News
"But everything was made clear, we consulted our guru and our doctor made us very comfortable”.
One in three Australians nationally are currently registered on the organ donation registry, according to the Saffron Day initiative.
Last year, more than 500 deceased organ donors saved the lives of 1,444 people.
But there are still around 1,700 people on transplant waiting lists across the country, and a further 12,000 people on dialysis.
Last year, 548 deceased organ donors saved the lives of 1,444 people in Australia. Source: SBS News
'One of the lucky ones'
Eight months ago, Sydney resident Dineish Nallainathan donated his kidney to a close family member. They had unexpectedly been diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease about two years earlier.
"They were a very fit and healthy person," Mr Nallainathan, who is of Sri Lankan heritage, told SBS News.
"The doctors pretty much said they'll need a transplant at some point soon."
He said he was "very shocked" to learn it can take up to five years of being on a waiting list to receive a transplant from a deceased donor.
"The other option was to become a live donor, so I put my hand up. It took about one year, but we got there," he said.
Mr Nallainathan hopes more people from religious and culturally diverse backgrounds will take the plunge to give others a second chance.
Dineish Nallainathan Source: Supplied
"I always think about what I want to tell my kids and my grandchildren one day. Do I want to say I almost had the opportunity to help and I didn't, or I tried my absolute very best to save someone's life?" he said.
"People travel the world searching for purpose in their life. I was one of the lucky ones."
Additional reporting by Evan Young and Emma Brancatisano.
