Donating organ is gifting the organ to the person who are in need of it. Organ donor can save 8 lives and change the lives of more than 50 people. Almost anyone can be an organ donor regardless of age or medical history. Organ donation is a process when a person allows an organ of his to be removed, legally either by consent while the donor is alive or after death with the approval of the next of kin. The donor is the person providing the organ to the recipient, who receives the organ through a surgery called “Transplantation”. Organs that can be transplanted are the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, intestine, skin and thymus. Tissues that can be donated include bones, tendons, corneas, heart valve and veins.
Deceased donation is when the organs are donated after the person has died, and living donation is when the organs are donated while the person is alive. Living organ donors can donate one kidney, a lung, or a portion of the liver, pancreas, or intestine.
The kidneys are most commonly transplanted organs followed closely by the liver and then the heart. The cornea, bones and muscles are the most commonly transplanted tissues. The field of medicine called “Regenerative medicines” has made scientific advantages to grow or create organs or tissues from ‘stem cells’.
Eye donation is one of the most significant donations. There are about 1 million corneally blind n the country. Another 25,000 are added each year. Eye donation in India today meets less than 5% of the demand for corneal transplants. Though there are 171 eye banks in the country, only 51 are working in the true sense. Donated eyes can be used to restore vision in people who are suffering from corneal blindness. From each pair of donated eyes two blind people will get vision and light in their life. Thus making it more divine.
When a person suffers from cardiac death, the heart stops beating, the vital organs quickly becomes unusable for transplantation. But tissues such as bones, skin, heart, valves and corneas can be donated within the first 24 hours of death, but eyes can be donated within 6 hours of death.
Organ donation is a selfless act that can save the lives of others. Regardless of age, health, colour, or ethnicity, everyone should think of themselves as possible organ and tissue donors. The demand for organs has always been way higher than their supply, due to lack of organ donors. There is a need to focus on this matter in order to raise the number of donors.