"Her view was: 'Once I'm gone, I don't need these organs. If they can help someone else, they should'. [She] took all the emotion out of it, the squeamish side of it, and just thought about the benefit for others," her daughter, Hannah Bartlett, said.

So when Fiona Bartlett died suddenly last May, aged 51, her children knew what to do. They feel proud having been able to enact their mum's wishes.

"Just having had that conversation and knowing how strongly she felt about it, really made that decision easy for us - [it] made us feel like there was something positive coming out of a sad situation," Hannah Bartlett said.

Now, Australian-first laws will mean Fiona Bartlett's gift of life can be permanently recognised.

Families of people who donate their organs after their death in the ACT will now be able to have the donation recognised on the death register and death certificate. Families will also be able to request a letter from the Chief Minister to acknowledge the donation.

Human Rights Minister Tara Cheyne, who introduced the legislation to recognise organ donors as a backbencher last year, thanked the donor families and organisations for working on the reforms.

"While there are a number of ways in which organ and tissue donation is acknowledged, families have consistently stressed to me that there would be value in having further formal options to have their loved one's gift recognised," Ms Cheyne said.

Hannah Bartlett said the change was a welcome way to formally recognise her mother's last act.

"[It's] something so amazing to actually save the lives of others, I think it's fantastic. Again, [the recognition] just provides a little bit of comfort for the family during a really difficult time," Ms Bartlett said.

"We're so proud of her, and that continues. Just having that piece of documentation and a letter is just another step towards healing. I think it's a really great initiative."

Ms Bartlett remembers talking about what being an organ donor meant when she was growing up, and says those conversations are difficult but important to have.

"I remember saying to Mum: 'Gosh, why would anyone want to do that?' She explained to us how important it was and we eventually, as teenagers, ended up deciding ourselves to go on the organ donor list," Ms Bartlett said.

Ms Cheyne said when the legislation was introduced requests for a letter from the Chief Minister, or for changes to the death register, would only be able to be made by the family, with the provision of verifying information.

"By going down this path, it allows the family to make the request at any time. Importantly, by being optional, up to the family, and not time limited, it gives the family control and agency in deciding how and when they wish to have their loved one's donation recognised," she said.

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Michael Taylor, whose sister became the first ACT organ donor in 1975, also welcomed the change.

Eleven-year-old Annette Taylor died suddenly in 1975 just months after requesting to become an organ donor after reading about a newspaper article about a kidney transplant.

Mr Taylor said permanent recognition of organ donation helped the public to recognise the impact it had.

"It's about having it on record for future generations. Because you pass stories down, and as that story gets passed down, detail gets lost. But if it's there on record - if anyone ever goes to look at family history, it's there," Mr Taylor said.

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