Every year, organ donation day is observed on August 13. The day is dedicated to spreading awareness about organ donation after death. Organ donation, also known as the gift of life is an extremely vital and noble deed. People who donate their healthy organs after death, they provide a new lease of life to people who suffer from major organ failure, the population of which is huge. Over  500,000 people lose their lives because of not having organs for transplant but if everyone pledges to donate their organs after death, so many people can be saved. Organ donation is often tied with fear and myths that are baseless. Pledging your organs to people in need will help so many people survive.

Organ donation day aims to eliminate the myths and generate awareness about organ donation.  The process of organ donation includes removal of any vital organ from a person after death with the prior consent of the person & Family. The donated organs are surgically placed it in another person in need of it.

Organ Donation Day Significance

An organ donor can save many lives by pledging to donate organs like heart, liver, intestine, kidneys, lungs after his or her death. Later these organs can be transplanted into another person who is in urgent requirement. As per the national guidelines, anyone can be an organ donor irrespective of age, caste, religion and community. Organ donation day urges people of all communities to come forth and donate organs to save precious lives. About 90% of patients in India dies while waiting for the organs due to the lack of donors.

The organs that can be donated are:

• Kidney
• Lungs
• Heart
• Eye
• Liver
• Pancreas
• Cornea
• Small Intestine
• Skin tissues
• Bone tissues
• Heart valves
• Veins

Here are a few things that a potential donor should keep in mind.  The donor should be in good physical and mental health, above 18 years. The person should be willing to donate and be well informed about the process of the risks, benefits for both the donor and recipient.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2020 07:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).