What is organ donation?

Organ donation is the harvesting of an individual's organs after he or she dies for the purpose of transplanting them into another person. The person who gives the organs is called a donor while a person who receives the organ is called a recipient.

Who can be donor?

All of us can be organ donors, irrespective of age, caste, religion, community, current or past medical condition. Children can also be organ donors after taking consent for organ donation from their parents.

However active cancer, active HIV, active infection (for example, sepsis) or Intravenous (IV) drug use are some of the contra-indications. Patients who have Hepatitis C may still donate organs to a patient who also has Hepatitis C. The same is true for Hepatitis B — but this happens in very rare cases. Most cancer patients may donate corneas.

Which organs and tissues can be donated?

Vital Organs like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas can be donated only in case of 'brain death'. However other tissues like corneas, heart valves, skin, bones etc can be donated only in case of natural death.

How does Organ Donation help patients with organ failure?

For organ recipients, a transplant often means a second chance at life. Vital organs such as the heart, pancreas, liver, kidneys and lungs can be transplanted to those whose organs are failing. It allows many recipients to return to a normal lifestyle. For others, a cornea or tissue transplant means the ability to see again or the recovery of mobility and freedom from pain.

What is the importance of a donor registry?

A registry is an essential part of understanding who and where potential donors are. A registry gives a planner enough information to devise strategies to get more public cooperation and commitment towards organ donation. Having a registry in place allows doctors and transplant coordinators to check if a brain dead person wished to donate and then approaching the family for consent becomes easier. It helps in saving crucial time in the process of organ donation. At present, we do not have a central registry in India. Through this initiative we intend to make the government of India create one.

How does organ donation help families of deceased donors to cope with their loss?

The act of organ donation has the ability to comfort grieving families. It is always difficult to lose a loved one. Many grieving families of organ donors draw comfort from the fact that their loss may help to save or improve the lives of others. Studies carried out to understand how a family's wounds heal have shown that the support from family members helps a person to overcome grief. The support of friends and religious and cultural beliefs also help donor families. Most of the donor families agreed to donate organs because they felt that it was the only positive outcome from their loss.

Is organ donation legal in India?

The primary legislation related to organ donation and transplantation in India,Transplantation of Human Organs Act, was passed in 1994 and is aimed at regulation of removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.

When can you donate organs?

Organ and Tissue Donation after Cardiac Death. Typically when a person suffers a cardiac death, the heart stops beating. The vital organs quickly become unusable for transplantation. But their tissues – such as bone, skin, heart valves and corneas – can be donated within the first 24 hours of death.

What is an organ donation?

Organ donation takes healthy organs and tissues from one person for transplantation into another. Experts say that the organs from one donor can save or help as many as 50 people. Organs you can donate include. Internal organs: Kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs, Skin.

How many organs can be donated while alive?

Living donors potentially can donate:

Can you choose which organ to donate?

Total body donation generally is not an option if you choose to be an organ and tissue donor. However eye donors still may be accepted. There are also a few medical schools and research organizations that may accept an organ donor for research.

Why Donate?

Each year, thousands of people die while waiting for a transplant, because no suitable donor can be found for them. The need for organ donors has never been greater.

Did you know In India every year nearly:

Nationally, with a population of 1.2 billion people, the statistic stands at 0.08 persons as organ donors per million population (PMP). This is an incredibly small and insignificant number compared to the statistics around the world.

Countries like the USA, UK, Germany, Nether lands have a 'family consent' system for donations where people sign up as donors, and their family's consent is required. (These countries have seen the donations double Per Million Population averaging between 10-30 PMP). Other countries like Singapore, Belgium, Spain have a more aggressive approach of 'presumed consent', which permits organ donation by default unless the donor has explicitly opposed it during his lifetime. These countries have seen the rate of donations double, averaging between 20-40 PMP.

We understand it is difficult to think about organ donation when you have just lost a loved one; however organ donation is a generous and worthwhile decision that can save many lives. By donating, each person can save the lives of up to 7 individuals by way of organ donation and enhance the lives of over 50 people by way of tissue donation.