Organ donation is the donation of biological tissue or an organ of the human body from a living or dead person to a living recipient in need of a transplantation (source: Wikipedia). Organ and tissue transplant is one of the most important fields in medical sciences today. The people who have no hope of survival due to organ failure, are given a new lease of life when they receive the organ donation.
Remember the famous advertisement by Aishwarya Rai on eye donation when she was the newly crowned Miss World. That video was the first of its kind that became so famous and everyone got to know about organ donation. A person who has died becomes a hero for the recipient of the donor organs. Donating an organ also helps the grieving families to cope up, by seeing something positive in their moment of loss.
The number game on organ donation is very sad and depressing worldwide. According to WHO (World Health Organisation) a statistic of 2013 of world countries on organ transplantation, India stood 26th in 30 countries. This statistic was majorly on liver and kidney transplants, as they constitute to 90% of transplants worldwide. When we check the numbers on organ donation within India, state of Tamil Nadu has been the flag bearer from the start. In India deceased multi-organ donation has gone from 196 in 2012 to 411 in 2014. But in Tamil Nadu alone, it has moved from 83 in 2012 to 136 in 2014. In India, 200,000 people need a new kidney every year and 100,000 need a new liver, but only 2 to 3 percent of the demand for new organs is met. Till 2013, only 0.01 percent people pledged their organs after death, compared to 70 to 80 percent in western countries, WHO observed.
We can help someone have a second chance to live a better life by donating our organs. A medically fit human can donate organs and tissues to save as many as 8 lives! I think there can’t be an easier way to help someone and become their reason of a healthy life.
Further, there are two types of donations, living and cadaver donors. A living person can donate 1 kidney, part of liver and pancreas, as our body can function efficiently even after these donations. A dead person can donate organs such as kidneys, livers, pancreas, intestine, lungs, heart and tissues such as eyes, skin, bone, heart valves, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves.
There are many myths around organ donation, some even say their religion doesn’t allow organ donation after death. Rather all major religions of the world promote organ donation and ask its followers to do so. Being registered with some organ transplant group or with the government is a good idea. Because you can inspire people around you with your decision and bring a positive change.
John Allston famously said,” The only thing that you take with you when you’re gone is what you leave behind.”
In India, the Mohan Foundation in Chennai is the NGO that has created maximum awareness and worked in this field. It has worked throughout the nation and outside for the cause. Other groups where one can know more about organ donation and become donors are:
- Gift Your Organ http://www.giftyourorgan.org
- Narmada Kidney Foundation – http://www.narmadakidney.org/
- Shatayu – www.shatayu.org.in
- Apex Kidney Foundation – www.apexkidneyfoundation.org
- MOTHER – www.mother.org.in
- TANKER – www.tankerfoundation.org
- GANADARPAN (Kolkata) – http://www.ganadarpanindia.in/
- ZCCK – http://www.zcck.in/
- ZTCC – www.ztccmumbai.org
- NDTNINDIA – www.ndtnindia.org
- NNOS – www.nnos.org
- Organ donation India – http://donatelifeindia.org/