There were 272 donors in the past five years who had suffered from the disease, allowing 675 patients to receive transplants.
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Associate medical director for organ donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, Professor John Forsythe, said: “We are very keen that everyone, regardless of their health status, registers a decision to donate”.
What organs can be donated?
Every year 200,000 people in India need a new kidney and 100,000 need a new liver, but only two to three per cent of the demand for new organs is met, they said on the occasion of Organ Donation Day on August 13.
The latter is when organs are harvested from a brain dead person and transplanted into a living person in need.
Though many people believe it is not possible to donate organs if they have cancer or have a history of the illness, a 2014 report by the UK Government’s Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs said: “Organs from deceased donors with some cancers may be safely used for transplantation”.
Aspiring midwife Alison Cooney died in 2010 aged just 28, only six weeks after being diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer.
“It seemed very appropriate that she should mention eyes, because Alison had the most handsome eyes, and was always being complimented about them”. As our nation faces serious organ shortage with patients dying while waiting for transplants, it is important for everyone to come forward and donate organs.
“Even though initially it was very hard to accept what was about to happen, it wasn’t about us, and we had to focus on something good being achieved from something bad”. “Ever increasing recipients list is causing major organ shortage crisis as the Donor-Recipient ratio remains skewed, ‘ in an event organized to salute the Donor Families” Spirit of Giving, “Wall of Tribute” Unveiled at Fortis Hospital, Mulund.
While 432 CRPF personnel made the commitment to donate organs at an event in Sonepat in presence of their chief K Durga Prasad, the BSF handed over 1,500 certificates of jawans pledging to donate their organs to Nadda at a function organised in collaboration with National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) in the national capital.
Where there is a greater risk of transmission of infection or malignancy, the transplant surgeon will also discuss the situation with the potential recipient of the organ.
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“Please agree to cornea donation too when you register to donate your organs – you could end up saving someone’s sight even if you can’t donate your organs when you die”. All you need to do is register online for organ donation, which is a simple process that can help you save a life. “On the basis of the current evidence, it is recommended that organs from deceased donors with some current and past cancers may be safely used”.
