00:00Catherine Dawson is searching for siblings she's never met.
00:06She's one of the estimated 60,000 donor-conceived Australians.
00:11Like many, her biological father's identity was kept a mystery.
00:15I was told you're not allowed to know who he is, you're not allowed to know who any of your siblings are.
00:20Since finding her donor's name, she's so far uncovered 53 half-siblings.
00:25But the 35-year-old believes there could be hundreds more
00:30and has joined South Australia's donor conception register hoping to find them
00:34and warn of a family cancer risk.
00:36There might be siblings I've got already that have developed bowel cancer
00:40and they should be checking from their mid-20s.
00:43428 people are on the register, which launched in February.
00:48The Australian First Portal allows donors and donor-conceived people to access information
00:53such as names, date of birth, gender and sibling details.
00:57Medical history and contact details can also be shared.
01:01SA Health says clinical records dating back to the 1970s
01:06when donors were granted lifelong anonymity can be damaged or missing.
01:11It's really, really important that this information is of high integrity and it is verified.
01:16So that can be frustrating when people are looking for a complete set of information quickly.
01:22My first thought was this is great. I'm going to be able to get answers for myself but also for all of us.
01:28Bec Kilday joins the register seeking more information for her 27 half-siblings who weren't conceived in SA.
01:35She says a national donor register would better share information between states and territories.
01:41My Victorian-conceived siblings don't have rights to access SA records.
01:46If there was a national register they would be able to access what records are available.
01:53People in Australia move around. We might be born in SA but live our adult lives in Queensland.
01:59And so absolutely a national framework would assist.
02:04A health minister's rapid review of the IVF sector last year highlighted the absence of a national donor register.
02:11The Federal Health Department says ministers have agreed to ask the Law Reform Commission
02:16to explore options for harmonising legislation nationally.
02:20A glimmer of hope for those still waiting for answers.
02:24And a better way to get answers.
02:29The third time, this year, is the Lizzo's deadline.
02:34I know there are a lot of people who do not get the same time or a half-siblings.
02:38But I know there is a lot of people who are going to pay attention to the other.
02:40But I know there is a lot of people who get the same opportunity for this matter.
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