National Transplant Week, which runs until 10 July, is a good time to YES to the Organ Donation. Thousands of people are waiting for an organ to save their lives, and three people die every day while they wait. One donor can save up to nine lives and many more can be saved through tissue donation.
Find out all you need to know about organ donation
Who can donate an organ?
Any person of any age, race or gender can donate an organ. Having a medical condition does not necessarily prevent a person from becoming an organ or tissue donor. The decision about whether some or all organs or tissue are suitable for transplant is made by a healthcare professional, taking into account your medical history. There are only two conditions where organ donation is ruled out completely. A person cannot become an organ or tissue donor if they have been diagnosed with HIV or if they have, or are suspected of having, vCJD.
Which organs can be transplanted?
Kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small intestine can all be transplanted. Techniques are improving all the time and it may soon be possible to transplant other parts of the body.
What is tissue donation?
Tissue donation is the gift of tissue such as corneas, skin, bone, tendons, cartilage and heart valves. Most people can donate tissue. Unlike organs, it may be possible to donate tissue up to 48 hours after a person has died
How to get Registered to get Organs :
First of all, you need to register your patients' name in the waiting list of a hospital which deals with transplantation waiting list. Then as and when an organ is available, based on priority, matching blood group and other medical criteria, you will be contacted by the hospital. MOHAN Foundation is basically for awareness on Organ Donation and facilitating organ donation from brain dead patients. They have no say on who will get the organs, it is decided by the state allocation committee.
I want to donate my body for research after my demise. What is the procedure?
You can approach the Anatomy department of any Government Hospital and fill up a form, along with consent of your family members OR come to MOHAN Foundation and we will give you a copy of the form. Once you fill up the form, please submit it to the hospital authorities. Most importantly, you family members should be aware of your decision to donate your body after your demise, and be willing to do so.
I am carrying a donor card with me, however, my family is worried that in case I meet with an accident, the hospital authorities will be more concerned with taking the organs from me after declaring me brain dead rather than concentrating on treating me. Is this true?
This is not true. The doctors who have the authority to declare a patient as brain dead, are different from the doctors who perform the transplantation; there is no vested interest. In fact as a patient, you are their top most priority. Rich or poor, the same criteria and same rules for everybody.
MOHAN Foundation is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization started to promote organ donation in 1997 in Chennai by philanthropists and medical professionals led by Dr. Sunil Shroff. It is a registered NGO with Income Tax exemption under Section 80G and 35AC and has offices both in Chennai and Hyderabad. MOHAN Foundation was started by a group of like-minded and concerned medical and non-medical professionals committed to increasing the reach of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act. The Government of India passed this act in 1994 to broaden the concept of organ donation and stop commercial dealings in organs, especially kidneys. It is now possible to not only donate one's eyes, but also other vital organs like the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas and kidneys.
MOHAN Foundation comprises four core groups that carry out the different activities of the foundation. These groups are:
1. Public Education for Organ Donation
2. Indian Transplant Newsletter (ITN)
3. Patient Support group (PSG)
4. Indian Network for Organ Sharing (INOS)
Over 250,000 Donor Cards have been distributed so far in English, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Hindi. Eminent dignitaries like Mrs. Nita Ambani, Reliance Industries Limited, actor / social activist Revathy, Judge Krishna Reddy and cricketer Kris Srikkanth have all been presented with Donor Cards. The Foundation also has literature on prevention of different diseases and organ transplantation.
Organ donation is all about giving life – life that only YOU can choose to give to help the thousands of patients waiting for an organ or tissue transplant.
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