Tamil Nadu is a pioneer in Organ Donation

– J. S. Bhuvaneswaran, Director, PSG Super Specialty Hospital.

PSG Hospitals held an awareness program on Organ Donation on Thursday in connection with World Organ Donation Day. Dr. J. S. Bhuvaneswaran, Director, PSG Super Specialty Hospital, spoke about the importance of organ donation to the patients and attenders of the hospitals. The program was held for just 10 minutes while adhering to strong social distancing norms.

Talking about organ donation, the Director said that when a patient’s organ is affected, organ transplant could help while medicines are unable to help them recover. A living person can become a donor and donate his kidney and liver while a brain-dead person can donate Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, Skin and many other organs, to save people in need.

He shared that Tamil Nadu is pioneer in India when it comes to donating organs especially Chennai and Coimbatore are doing a wonderful job in organ donation. Addressing the patients and their attenders who were watching the program, he said that the boldness of the brain dead person’s family members who volunteer for organ donation should be acknowledged and appreciated as they grasp whatever strength they have and turn generous for a nobler cause.

He also appreciated the Transplant Team that includes Transplant Coordinator, Surgeons and paramedical staff at PSG Hospitals.  The coordinator at times will have to approach the deceased’s family to talk to them about organ donation.

Though it is difficult, talking about organ donation at that time is important because some organs may cross the time limit after which the organs cannot qualify for a transplant. Surgeons on the other hand undertake an eight hour to sixteen hour transplant surgery to safely transfer the organs. So many hands are involved in a transplant and all this would not be possible if a donor doesn’t exist.

He asked the public to spread awareness about Organ Donation to their friends and family. He conveyed that only when the family members grant consent, a deceased patient’s organ could be harvested and when organs are harvested, they are done under government’s norms in an orderly manner. He encouraged the viewers to speak to everyone about value of donating organs.

Covai woman’s bold decision gives lease of life to eight people

Vijayakumar, a 39 year old man from Coimbatore suffered stroke in Dec 2019. He passed away at the hospital as his body failed to respond to the treatment. He was declared brain dead by the hospital and when that was conveyed to his wife, she was shaken to the core. Yet she came forward to donate his organs so that patients with serious need for transplants may live.

Vijayakumar’s wife who works in a tailor’s shop, lives with her parents and takes care of her son studying 5th std. Due to this COVID-19 induced lockdown, she is unable to get the meagre daily wages she was making earlier. This bold woman’s timely decision in the past has given many struggling patients to have a future. Now she is working hard and striving to see her son shine.

She was honored by the hospital at an Organ Donation Awareness program. Dr. J. S. Bhuvaneswaran, appreciated her with plaque of appreciation.  He said to The Covai Mail that 8 people are living a healthy life through this timely donation and that is why the hospital decided to honor Vijayakumar’s wife.