Youth Incorporated Magazine

Everyone wants to be a superhero and Organ donation is one of the ways can actually become one. By signing up for organ donation, one person can easily save 8 lives and benefit so many more. Unfortunately, India has one of the lowest organ donation rates in the world – 0.26% per million, a jarring statistic, given the fact that over half of India’s population is in desperate need of organ donation in some form.

Various myths around religion and political position are responsible for people hesitating to donate their organs. As of now, most organ donors are immediate members of the patients family – as is the law. Deceased donors are at a bare minimum.

Why you should donate your organs is a pretty clear answer. You save lives. You give life to people who really need it. Anybody can donate an organ. Of course, people under 18 need legal consent, but other than that, there are absolutely no prerequisites required for donation.

You can donate kidneys, corneas, livers – almost anything, as long as you’re even moderately healthy.

Donating is SO easy. Think your decision through, do a little research to clarify any doubts you have, or ask a medical professional. Once you’ve decided, let your immediate family know of your decision to donate and then sign the form here. You will receive a donor card, which you must keep safe. Encourage your family to donate organs, too.

Children are also encouraged to sign up for organ donation, as many children are in need of functioning organs, and adult organs are just too big.

We know it’s upsetting to consider organ donation because it implies thinking about your own, or a loved one’s death. It most definitely is a sensitive issue, and your emotions are valid. But just for a second, think about channelling your loss into positivity and helping so many lives.