Chennai: Rajan alias Stephen was just 17 when an ill-fated accident claimed his life. However, a part of him continues to live through others, thanks to the organs he donated. “We learnt of our son’s accident when Royapettah police officers called to inform that our son had been admitted to Royapettah government hospital in an unconscious state. When we rushed to the hospital, we saw him sitting unconsciously on a chair in the waiting room. He was not given treatment for two and a half hours after the accident occurred. We alerted doctors to the wound in his head and it was only after this that they realised that he was seriously injured. Even then, a CT scan was taken only after we paid
`500,” says Stephen’s father Omraj, recalling the unfortunate day.
He says that the CT scan showed a blood clot in Stephen’s brain. Doctors at Royapettah hospital asked the family to shift Stephen to RGGGH (GH as it is commonly known). “We then shifted our son to St Isabel’s hospital, Mylapore. The doctors inspected him and told us we were too late. They could have saved him if we had begun treatment immediately after he was injured. Our son would have been alive now if doctors at Royapettah hospital had given him prompt treatment,” he reflects.
However, the family decided to donate their son’s organs on the advice of doctors at St Isabel’s. Omraj says that they were referred to Stanley hospital where Stephen’s organs were harvested. “We thought if our son could help save the lives of others, then why not go ahead with it,” says Omraj on his decision to donate his son’s organs.
“My father Sundaram was 65 when he passed away due to an accident. He was declared brain dead. Doctors informed us that his organs could be of use to others. So we decided to go ahead with organ donation,” says his son Thiagarajan (22).
Stephen and Sundaram are among the 1,282 organ donors in the state from whom 7,468 organs have been harvested. Families of Stephen and Sundaram families were among those honoured by health minister DrC.Vijayabasker and fisheries minister D.Jayakumar on Monday as part of organ donation awareness week, observed from July 1 - July 7 every year.
Addressing the media at an organ donation awareness event conducted at Stanley medical college and hospital, Dr C.Vijayabasker said, “Organ donation is a noble deed. Tamil Nadu is a pioneer in organ donation and has retained the first position in organ transplant surgeries for the fourth consecutive year. The state health department is conducting many awareness programmes on organ donation.”
Organs from a deceased person can help save up to seven lives. Sadly, there is a huge shortage in the number of donors in our country though non-profit organ donation is legal in law. A WHO report states that of the 2.1 lakh patients in need of organs in India, only 3000-4000 manage to receive organs in time.
