‘Be a saviour for new lives’

There is a significant gap between patients who need transplants and the organs that are available in India. Moreover, on the ever-revolving wheel of life, a transplant is the ultimate legacy a person leaves and indeed the greatest gift of community service to give a new lease of life to another.

Highlighting how organ donation can change the ending of an individual’s life, National Service Scheme, School of Education of Apeejay Stya University, with the support of the Rotaract Club of Apeejay Stya University Gurugram, recently organised a webinar on Organ Donation: Myths & Realities.

Mr. Lal Goel, Chairman of Organ Donation India Foundation and GYAN, was the guest speaker of the webinar.

Mr. Goel initiated the webinar with the following lines, “We can be saviours for new lives.”  Addressing more than 60 participants, he beautifully explained the importance of organ donation and transplantation as well as the need to spread awareness on the same in India. He said, “Around 5 lakh people die every year in India due to unavailability of organs. And if more and more people come forward to donate their organs, this death rate will reduce. Organ donation is a noble cause. It’s because one brain dead person has the potential to save eight lives and improve 75 lives.”

In addition, he highlighted the three types of organ donation worldwide: Voluntary (when a person voluntarily donates an organ), Opt-in (when a person registers to donate organ after death) and Opt-out (when a person does not want to donate organs). “Then in India, there are three types of organ donation methods including death donation, after-death donation and swapping of organs. Plus, the organs that can be donated are kidney, heart, parts of liver, pancreas. Although we talk about eye donation, the eye cannot be donated. It’s actually the tissue cornea which can be donated.”

He also spoke about the existing legal frameworks on organ donation and transplantation in the country.

Before winding up the virtual session, Mr. Goel, who has conducted 350 sessions on organ donation, busted a few popular myths on organ donation. “First, individuals can donate one of their two kidneys. Second, when it comes to organ donation, age is no bar. Third, people say organ and tissue donation mutilates the body. The reality is that only a scar remains and the person leads a healthy life.

“In India, there are many people waiting for so many years for receiving an organ donation. However, due to the lack of availability of organ donors, they are facing medical problems. It’s time we take an effort and create more awareness about this noble cause.”

– Dr. Vijay Kumar, Teacher Educator, School of Education, Apeejay Stya University