The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Taking the message of organ donation to a larger audience

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Friday, Jun 08, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Taking the message of organ donation to a larger audience

Special Correspondent

Governor Surjit Singh Barnala honours organ donor families

— Photo: S.R.Raghunathan

PICTURE OF COURAGE: Thiruvengadam (right) and his wife receive an appreciation certificate from Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, for donating the organs of their two-year-old son Ashwath Kannan, after he was declared brain dead. Social Welfare Minister Poongothai (second from left), is in the picture.

CHENNAI: The evening belonged to the right side of the regal Durbar hall at the Governor's residence. On Thursday, at least, that was where heroism lay, where courage and fortitude stood exemplified in everyone on that side -- people who had made the right decision.

They were the `organ donor families,' people who had taken the decision at a very traumatic time to allow doctors remove the organs from their loved ones who had been declared brain dead. These organs were later harvested for others, giving them a chance to live that they might not have otherwise had. Befittingly the occasion was to honour them, but more importantly take the message of organ donation to a larger audience.

It was his wife's wish that her organs be donated and Shaktivel decided to honour it even as he was grieving over her loss.

Her eyes, kidneys, heart and liver were harvested. Shaktivel told an audience, including Governor Surjit Singh Barnala: "It leaves no mark. You never know the organs have been taken."

Chandrasekharan's wife Kannambal was a nurse. Even after her death, she helped several patients when her organs were removed from the brain dead body. Her daughters who are doctors facilitated the process. Chandrasekharan's only regret is that her heart could not be used; a match could not be found.

For the Thiruvengadams, it was a big decision to give the go ahead for the removal of the eyes and kidneys of their son Ashwath Kannan, who was declared brain dead when he was just two. But, when mentioned at Raj Bhavan, their decision will probably give others the inspiration and courage to think of organ donation when other things are on their mind. Mr. Barnala pledged to donate his eyes and used the occasion to talk about a story of a cadaver transplant. An old man decided to donate his brain dead son's heart to a youngster awaiting transplant. The young man adopted his donor's family and continued to live like a son to them.

Organs pledged

Mr. Barnala honoured the organ donor families just before two other guests, Social Welfare Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna and poet Kanimozhi, took the organ donation pledge, signing on the dotted line.

"Over the years our counsellors have been surprised at the number of families who have come forward to donate their organs. It is a difficult decision for them," said Sunil Shroff, managing trustee, MOHAN Foundation.

In addition to paying tributes to them, the occasion also doubled up as an awareness campaign for organ donation.

The Foundation, an NGO, organised the function to honour members of at least 15 families of organ donors. It has conducted five other such functions since 1999.

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