Kerala: Organ recipients thank donors for lease of life

KOZHIKODE: It was a moment of gratitude for Harinath and his family to see the parents of Nikhil Raj, who donated his kidney some five years ago after being declared brain dead.  Not just for Harinath but for hundreds of organ recipients it was a day of thanking the organ donors and their family to give them a new lease of life. Hundreds of people met and shared their experiences at a gathering organised by District Panchayath and district administration for organ donors and recipients on Saturday at JDT Hall. 

The highlight was P.J. Joseph, 65, who donated one of his kidneys 27 years ago to a friend at a time when it was entirely new for the people. “One can turn life a gift to society by donating all possible organs,” said A. Pradeep Kumar, who inaugurated the event and honoured donors and families of deceased donors.  More awareness programmes will be conducted in the district imbibing the spirit and need of organ donation. More than 500 people attended the event organised as part of District Panchayat’s project Snehasparsham, an initiative for kidney patients.  District collector requested all the people to sign up for organ donation.