A young techie lost his life in a drastic road accident while on his way to the office in Bengaluru. What he said in the face of death will leave you emotionally touched.
I remember reading a news on Times of India somewhere around 3 to 4 months back. It was on one of the corners of the front page. A young techie even though severely injured lying on the road found requesting to the bystander that his organs be donated after death. This particular news touched me to the core.
Organ donation carries no risk, rather it is a noble act. It gives immense satisfaction having the opportunity to save someone’s life.
I got organ donor card.
On the first week of August 2016 once again a piece of news took my attention. It was “Organ Donation Day, an initiative by Times of India, is being presented in partnership with Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.”
A little hesitation, but I registered as their organ donor on their website provided.
The website is “www.organdonationday.in”, here is the image of donor e-card I received from them.
I also received an email on my registered mail. It read that a donor card will be sent directly to my address which I should always carry along with myself.
Organ Donation Day.
On 13th of August is being observed as organ donation day every year.
You can register yourself as an organ donor by logging on to www.organdonationday.in.
Myth about organ donation.
I being a physiotherapist it is my duty to create awareness about organ donation.
There are lots of misunderstanding like it will disfigure your body or its aginst our religion. But if you go by this link “Organ donation..Myth vs Reality” then you will know that religion actually encourages us to be organ donor.
ABC of organ donation.
You might have heard of mother donating the kidney to her son and many of you might have actually donated blood. You might have also heard of eye donation after death.
But, you will be amazed to know that almost all part of our body can be donated. we can donate as a living person or we can donate after death also.
Which organ can we donate as a living person?
We can gift life to a needy while still alive.
· Blood.
· Bone marrow.
· Kidney.
· Portion of liver.
· Portion of lung.
· Portion of pancreas.
What can we donate after death?
There are more organ and tissues which can be donated than what can we think of. But, vital organs such as heart, kidney, lungs can only be donated after brain death under certain circumstances.
After the natural death we can donate:
· Eye.
· Heart valves.
· Skin and fascia.
· Bones and tendons.
· Cartilage.
· Veins and arteries.
Donation after brain death.
Brain death is severe , irreversible injury or damage to the brain. It can be caused due to the head injury. Since the whole brain is damaged the person can no longer sustain his/her life.
Vital organ like heart, lungs, kidney, liver need continuous blood supply to be successfully transplanted. So, after the brain death, the body has to be kept under respiratory support.
Here is the short animated video from MOHAN Foundation which explains the brain death.
These vital organs can be donated after the brain death:
· Face.
· Eyes.
· Middle ear bones.
· Voice box/ larynx.
· Hands.
· Finger, Toes.
· Lungs.
· Liver.
· Pancreas.
· Small intestine.
· Kidney.
· Uterus.
· Ovaries.
· Skin and fascia.
· Bone.
· Cartilage.
· Tendons.
· Veins and arteries.
· Nerves.
Which organ can be donated after cardiac death?
Unlike vital organ, tissues do not require constant blood supply for successful transplantation. So, in cardiac death tissues can be donated. There are more number of people die with cardiac death than brain death.
· Skin.
· Bones.
· Corneas.
· Heart valves.
· Veins.
Final word.
We can give hope of life to a person whose only hope of life is organ transplantation. Register yourself for this noble cause and give meaning to your life.
Register here: www.organdonationday.in
Dr Sunit Sanjay Ekka is a physiotherapist in practice for the last 15 years. He has done his BPT from one of the premium Central Government physiotherapy colleges, ie, SVNIRTAR. The patient is his best teacher and whatever he gets to learn he loves to share it on his Youtube channel and blog.
