Woman fights superstitious beliefs to donate husband's organs

Chennai: A bereaved wife put up a fight against conservative relatives to win the battle for donating all the vital organs of her brain dead husband at Kauvery Hospital here on Sunday.

Ramaa Vasudevan, 61, an LIC agent, was devastated when news reached her that the Kauvery doctors had declared her husband 69-year-old T.S.P Vasudevan brain dead after suffering a heart attack and showing some signs of recovery.

“Vasudevan was a progressive man, a noble soul. I thought we should perpetuate his memory by donating his organs to save other lives. I was initially doubtful, but I felt that he would have wanted it that way,” Ramaa told DC recalling the Sunday trauma.

But Ramaa had a tough time getting the ‘progressive’ thought, pass through her conservative Brahmin family with several relatives stoutly opposing ‘defiling’ the mortal remains by removing body parts. They argued it was blasphemous. The family received a jolting experience as it arrived at the hospital to receive Vasudevan’s body. Several waiting relatives of patients needing organs literally fell at their feet, pleading for consent to harvest his organs.

“It did not take long for my relatives to fall in line and say yes. The doctors at Kauvery Hospital did a marvellous job harvesting Vasudevan’s organs and reaching them to those in the queue. I could imagine a smile on his face when I received his body,” Ramaa said. “I learned that if you are entitled to receive an organ, why can’t you also donate,” she added.

“In India, the waiting list of patients needing organs is getting longer by the minute, whereas, the availability is not picking up, despite our education and awareness levels going up,” said Dr. Sridhar, Senior Consultant Surgeon, Kauvery Hospital.

“Even in our neighbouring Sri Lanka, organ donation is more in vogue, perhaps because of their Buddhist compassion. We must fight our way out of our superstitious beliefs,” said Dr K. Thomas, a nephrologist.