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Even as I write this post, several patients all over the world, suffering from ailments that need immediate organ transplants; desperately await suitable and willing donors! Often their immediate relatives or close friends step in to do the needful and save their precious lives. If their blood groups don't match, they swap organs with other families that have persons needing transplants. Yet, there are innumerable others who languish in hospitals or at home, waiting for the good news that someone has finally taken a call to donate his/her/their organs for the greater good. Listened to reason and their conscience!
We have all read heartwarming reports of strangers donating their organs or families of accident victims/surgeries who have not survived; agreeing to donate the organs of their beloved, deceased relatives to others in need. Those who receive this timely and invaluable aid are forever indebted to the largesse of the donors! Counselors in hospitals, along with doctors and other paramedical staff counsel such families to donate the organs of their deceased relatives.
There are several NGOs that aid this process too. Yet the numbers of persons opting for organ donation are too small and woefully insufficient. The reason could be that people are unwilling to pledge their organs for donation due to fear of disfigurement, religious beliefs, ignorance or sheer apathy!
Therefore, days such as the World Organ Donation Day observed on the 13th of August; serve as an important and essential reminder to the global population that organs are gifts of life that we could pledge for ensuring that others live a long and healthy life!
Some organs like kidneys or portions of liver or even stem cells could be donated even while we are alive, whereas the other organs like eyes, brain, heart, lungs, pancreas, spleen, portions of the intestines, skin, etc. could be pledged towards this noble cause so that even after we are no more, we could live in this world through the others who have benefited by our initiative.
Our family of three, my mother-in-law, husband and I had decided to go a step further and donate our bodies after death. Dehadaan - the ultimate gift to humanity, is our ultimate goal! But when my mother-in-law passed away due to a heart attack, during the pandemic, the hospital refused to accept her body or organs for donation, saying that due to the COVID situation, body or organ-donation was not being accepted. This, despite the fact that she died of natural causes due to a ripe old age (91 years) and not COVID! What a waste of her undoubtedly healthy organs!
Now my husband and I continue with our decision...
Since I am crusading against my ex-employer, the Life Insurance Corporation of India; for illegal and arbitrary repudiation of my wage revision arrears and for non-receipt of revised Statutory retirement benefits like pension and provident fund; as well as for justice to all such similarly placed, resigning ex-employees; I have linked my cause with my pledge for Dehadaan.
I will fill the form pledging for Dehadaan, after all of us get our legally rightful dues from the Corporation. In case of my earlier demise, my family will donate my body to either my chosen hospital or the nearest hospital and fulfill my wish. I have ensured that all my near and dear ones are aware of my wish so that my pledge doesn't go in vain.
I appeal to all those who read this blog to consider Dehadaan or at least organ donation so that their precious life-saving organs are used after death. Why waste them in a burial ground or cemetery when someone could live longer, after receiving them?
Let's receive good wishes, blessings and gratitude. Sign up for this noble cause and motivate others too! It's never too late!
The copyright of this write-up is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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