ORGAN DONATION- HOW TO BECOME A DONOR & IT’S BENEFITS
Pankti Parikh, 3rd MBBS Terna Medical College, Navi Mumbai
“After I die if I am buried I will rot. If I am burnt I will become ash but if my body is donated I will live to give life & happiness to many.
Live life after death- pledge to donate your organs.”
How can I become a donor?
To be an organ donor, it is important to register by signing up for Organ Donation. One needs to fill a prescribed consent form, which can either be downloaded from National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) website or accessed from the medical facility that is approached for organ removal. In case of deceased donation, a written consent form from the lawful custodian of the body after the death of the patient is required in a prescribed application form.
According to Indian Law, it is your next of kin who will decide whether to donate your organs or not upon death. Even if you have pledged your organs, no donation will happen unless the next of kin gives their consent. Therefore, when you pledge to be an organ donor, it is very important that you discuss your wish to donate with your family.
“A single pledge can be a ray of hope for many.”
A few words of an organ recipient-
“There is one thing I know about my donor: no matter what they did while they were here on Earth, but they died a hero.”
Benefits of organ donation:
Before we look into the benefits let’s look at some facts:
Yes, that is how serious the condition is.
1.Improves others’ quality of life. For some, an organ transplant means no longer having to be dependent on costly routine treatments to survive. For others, an eye or tissue transplant means the ability to see again or the freedom from pain. Giving of yourself through organ donation means that you can help a host of other people who may now be able to live a fuller life because of your generosity.
2.Positive emotional experiences: The gift of an organ can save the life of a transplant candidate. The experience of providing this special gift to a person in need can serve be a positive aspect of donation.
3. One donor can save 8 lives. Nothing can be more fulfilling than giving a new life to not one but 8 people. A single pledge can be a ray of hope for many.
4. After your death, your family will have one reason to smile.
“Leave a legacy of life. Be an organ donor.”
STORY OF A SELFLESS ORGAN DONATION
After a holiday in Mumbai, the Udani family was all set to return to Australia, when tragedy struck. Their seven-year-old son Deyaan was suffering from severe headache and suddenly collapsed on January 22, a few hours before their flight to Sydney.
Deyaan was rushed to Nanavati Hospital where doctors found that he had multiple blood clots in his brain. He was then shifted to the PD Hinduja Hospital and underwent a surgery to release the pressure inside the brain, on January 27.
Deyaan did not respond to the surgery and was declared brain dead.
The family decided to donate his organs to four critically ill patients.
His heart was given to Madhavi Vishwakarma, who is the same age as him. Madhavi, who was suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, had been on Fortis Hospital’s waiting list for over a month. After Deyaan’s heart was harvested, the traffic police cleared the road and helped the team of doctors reach Fortis Hospital in 18 minutes. Madhavi’s condition is now stable and she is being kept under observation. After the transplant, Deyaan became Mumbai’s youngest donor and Madhavi the city’s youngest recipient.
