Organ & Tissue Donation

Due to congenital health issue during the birth or due to accident or due to faulty lifestyle or due to medicine side effect or bad karma, many people do require the organ and tissue donation from healthy living beings or after the death to living being. Organ and Tissue donation helps them to a live a normal pain free life.  

Almost every part of body can be useful to reduce pain and suffering of fellow human beings. After brain death one can help 9 people with organ and with tissue donation 75 people’s life can be saved.  

While alive or after death or after brain death one can help by tissues or organ donation.  

Each page tiles helps you to understand importance of that tissue or organ and its impact. 

When Alive: Blood, Plasma and Peripheral Blood Stem Cells can be donated   

When Alive and After Death: Skin can be donated by live donor as well as after natural or brain death.  

When Alive and After Brain Death: Bone marrow, Kidney and Liver can be donated by live donor as well after brain death.  

After Natural Death: Tissues like eye, skin, tendon and ligaments, bones, heart values can be donated after natural death.  

After Brain Death: Kidney, liver, pancreas, lung, heart, intestines, legs and hands can be donated after brain death along with tissue donation 

RAHDEE core objective is promote right help, early help to reduce the pain and suffering of human beings and bring sustainable change in every issue RADHEE is addressing.  

RADHEE is working to address 360-degree solution to promote organ and tissue donation and become instrumental in policy change for sustainable change.  

Pledge card platform is developed to enrol people to donate tissues and organ to save a life. 

Do filled up the Pledge Card and keep it at important place and share with family members.  

Do join as a core team member to address 360-degree solution in organ and tissue donation.

Organ and tissue donation in India is mainly regulated under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994. 

Under this act, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) and State or Regional Zonal Transplant Coordinator Centre (ZTCC) functions as the apex body for procurement, allotment, and distribution of organs.  

No organ can be sold to recipient directly without approval from NOTTO and ZTCC 

Donor and recipient details are kept confidential. Organ and tissue donation has to happen as per laid guidelines. No one gets organ or tissue based on influence nor anyone can buy or sale organ.  

Recipient must register with NOTTO and ZTCC Organ Transplant Registry and organ is given based on first come first basis and tissue matching under the expert medical guidance and legal framework.  

For live or after natural death or brain death wish of person or its family members consent is needed for donating tissue or organ. Pledging the tissue and organ and sharing the wish with family members will ensure wish of donating tissue and organ is full filled.  

Remember Even if person has pledge to give organ or tissue, at last moment consent of family member part of legal procedure. Without family members consent after death of person no organ or tissue donation can be take place. If person has not pledge to donate organ but if the family members gives consent, organ and tissue donation can be done.  

Live Donation: One can donate blood during the blood donation camps or as per the request sent by patients.  

Bone marrow, Peripheral Blood Stem Cells, Skin can be donated on request of patient requirement under the medical guidance.  

Natural Death: After natural death Tissue donation can be done within 6 hours of death. For eye and skin donation, team can come go to home and collect cornea and skin.  

For tendon, ligament, heart valves, bone one needs to get hospitalized. Any government medical college or multi-speciality hospital takes tissues from the dead person.  

Brain Death: Due to brain injury, heart attack, various brain diseases brain stops functioning before heart stops functioning in next 6-72 hours. Such patient’s family members can give consent for organ donation. Once the patient’s family members gives consent for organ donation hospital will coordinate with NOTTO and ZTCC of respective state and organ retrieval takes place.   

Body Donation: Body donation helps the medical and research students to study to human anatomy and invent new medicine to cure many uncurable diseases.  

Any government medical college takes the body donation. Body donation should be done within 6 hours of death.

Blood and Plasma: Every adult has 5 to 7 litter of blood. 350 ml of one bottle of Blood donation helps 3 people to survive who’s life is under threat due to loss of blood. One can donate blood after 90 days. Donating the blood makes one more heathier and gives satisfaction of saving lives also. Blood donation also includes plasma donation also.  

Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cells: Cancer or certain blood disorder patient requires bone marrow transplant.  

Skin: The skin is the body’s largest organ, made of water, protein, fats and minerals. Skin protects body from germs and regulates body temperature. Due to burn or major accident, skin either get burn or has wounds which is cause of exposing the internal organs, tissues, tendons.  

During burn or large open wounds, dressing of skin will save life, reduce the pain, suffering and promote early recovery.  

Skin taken from thighs, legs and back from live donor or after natural or brain death person.  

Eye: Eye is one of the vital organs which makes living comfortable. Damaged cornea due to congenital issue or any disease makes person blind. Donating the eye after death, which will give light to two corneal blind people and like us they can see beautiful world and live independent life.  

Tendons and Ligaments: tendons and ligaments are used to replace torn or irreparably damaged ligaments, often through accident or sports injuries or due to some diseases or congenital issues. Tendon and Ligaments donation will prevent disability of a person.  

Bone: It is mostly used in bone revision surgery to replace lost large bone from major trauma or bone cancer resection. Donating the bone prevents the disability.  

Heart Valves: People suffering with congenital heart diseases or damage heart valve due to various reason, donating heart valves can save life of such patients especially children. In India out of 100 one child is born with heart value issue and getting human value will make a child live normal healthy life forever.  

Kidney: Kidney issues like end stage renal failure, cancer, HIV, etc are reason when a person needs kidney transplant to live normal life. For kidney transplant, patients blood relation can donate their one kidney. Before donating kidney, one has to undergo legal formalities which their treating doctor will explain and support in completing legal formalities. Brain death person can donate kidney to two persons where, as per the law recipient is chosen.  

Liver: Liver diseases like cancer of liver, hepatic necrosis, biliary duct issues, cirrhosis of liver, viral infection etc are various reason where liver stops functioning normally and patient needs liver transplant from healthy donor or brain dead healthy donor. Unlike kidney, any person is suffering of liver diseases and their doctor suggest for liver transplant, patient’s blood relation can donate partial liver. Before donating the liver, one has to undergo legal formalities which their treating doctor will explain and support to complete legal formalities. Brain death person can donate liver to two persons where, as per the law recipient is chosen.  

Heart: Congenital heart issues, heart value issues, Viral infection of heart muscles, High blood pressure, irregular heartbeats etc are various reason for person requiring heart transplant. When heart stops functioning normally which makes person bed ridden. Heart transplant can not only save life but also helps the person function normally. Brain death person can donate heart to save a life of above patients.  

Lungs: Sever lung diseases like cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer etc are various diseases where person needs lung transplant to live normal life. Lung transplant from brain dead person will save life of 2 people.  

Intestine: short bowel syndrome, intestinal cancer or damaged intestine due to accident etc  are various reason patient needs intestine transplant to survive and live normal life. Brain dead person will save a life of 4 patients.  

Pancreas: Diabetic patient especially type 1 or type 2, children suffering with diabetics, cancer of pancreas etc are various reason for pancreas transplant. Brain dead person can help such patient to enjoy normal life especially kids 

Spleen: congenital blood disorders like sickle cell disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in children, injured spleen, cancer of spleen etc are the various reason for spleen transplant. Brain dead person can save a life and help children to live normal life.  

Arms and Legs: Due to various congenital issues kids are born without arms and legs, due to accident one loses arms and legs, polio myelitis etc are patients who require arms and legs transplant. Brain dead person can help such patient to live normal life by donating arms and legs.  

Organ donation is when a person allows healthy transplantable organs and tissues to be removed, either after death or when alive, and transplanted into another person. Common transplantations include eyes, skin, kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs, , heart, bones, bone marrow, skin, and corneas. There are a lot of myths about organ donation. Let’s find out the truth. Saving a life or reducing the pain and suffering is highest level of charity. 

1. Myth: Organ and tissue donation mutilates the body. 
   Fact: Donated organs are removed surgically, which doesn’t disfigure the body. The donor’s body is clothed for cremation, so there are no visible signs of donation. After eye donation, an artificial eye is inserted, the eyelids are closed, and no one can notice any difference. After bone donation, a rod is inserted where the bone has been removed. With skin donation, a very thin layer of skin similar to a sunburn peel is taken from the donor’s back, thigh and leg. 
2. Myth: Organ/tissue removal will affect cremation/burial arrangements.
   Facts: The removal of organs or tissues will not interfere with customary funeral or burial arrangements. The appearance of the body is not altered.  A super specialised surgical transplant team removes the organs and tissues which can be transplanted in other patients.
3. Myth: Religion bars organ donation.
   Fact: Most religious beliefs permit organ donation or leave it to the individual’s discretion. If you’re unsure of your faith’s position, clarify this from your religious leader. None of the religions object to organ donation and transplantation. On the contrary, religions endorse the act of giving and what bigger form of giving can there be than giving life and reducing pain and suffering 

4. Myth: The donor’s family is charged for donating organs. 
   Fact: A donor’s family is never charged for donating organs. If a family believes it has been billed incorrectly, it should immediately contact the local organ procurement organisation and rectify matters. 

5. Myth: Anyone can be an organ donor. 
   Fact:  
   a) Certain medical conditions automatically disqualify one from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. At the time of death, only medical professionals can determine whether a prospect’s organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation. Some diseases rule out donation including active cancer, HIV, Hepatitis or any active infection 
   
   b) Surgeons harvest organs from patients with strong and still beating hearts. Surgeons don’t want vital organs from donors who are completely dead and whose hearts have stopped beating. Few medical conditions automatically disqualify one from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, while other organs are fine. At the time of death, only medical professionals can determine whether a prospect’s organs are suitable for transplantation. Some diseases rule out donation including active cancer, active HIV or active infection. For a person with a history of hepatitis, more information would be required at the time of death. Persons with Hepatitis C may still donate organs to a patient who also has Hepatitis.
6. Myth: I’m under age 18. I’m too young to make this decision. 
   Fact: That’s true, in a legal sense. But your parents can authorise this decision. You can express to your parents your wish to donate, and your parents can give their consent knowing that it’s what you wanted. Children, too, are in need of organ transplants, and they usually need organs smaller than those an adult can provide. There’s no defined cut-off age. Organs have been successfully transplanted from donors in their 70s and 80s. At the time of death, only the doctors can decide whether the organs are suitable for transplantation. 
   
7. Myth:Only the heart, liver and kidneys can be donated. 
   Fact: Other organs such as the pancreas, lungs, small and large intestines, and the stomach can also be transplanted. Moreover, tissues such as skin, bone, heart valves and tendons can be donated too.  
8. Myth: If the ICU doctors know I’m an organ donor, they won’t work hard to save me. 
   Fact: If you are admitted in a hospital – sick or injured, the priority is to save your life. Organ donation can only be considered after brain death occurs. Moreover, the medical team treating you is distinct from the transplant team. 

9. Myth: What if I recover from brain death? 
   Fact: This doesn’t happen. The standards to determine if a person is brain dead are very strict and people who have agreed to donate their organs are given additional tests to confirm that they are truly dead.
10. Myth:  When awaiting transplant, the rich and famous get priority.
    Fact: What really counts is the severity of illness, time spent waiting, blood type and other important medical information. The organ allocation system is blind to wealth or social status. Factors such as race, gender, age, income and celebrity status are never considered when determining organ recipients. 

11. Myth: Having a donor card is all that’s required to become a donor. I don’t need to tell my family that I want to be a donor because it is written in my will. 
    Fact: While a signed donor card and a driver’s license with an ‘organ donor’ designation are legal documents, organ donation is usually discussed with family members prior to the donation. To ensure that your family understands and respects your wishes, it’s important that you tell them about your decision to donate life. By the time your will is read, it will be too late to recover your organs. Informing your family now is the best way to ensure your wishes are carried out. 

12. Myth: It is enough just to have a donor card
    Fact: No. You have to carry it at all times and also inform your family and relatives about your wish to donate your organs so that they give consent for donation when the circumstance arises. Becoming an organ donor takes less than 2 minutes. 

13. Myth: Organ donation is not necessary in India
    Fact: Unofficial statistics indicate that there are nearly 300 deaths every day due to organ failure. That is more than one lakh deaths per year.  As per records, out of the 9.5 million deaths in India annually, at least 1 lakh are believed to be potential donors; however less than 200 actually become donors anaullay. As these figures suggest, India needs organ donors. 

14. Myth: An organ recipient cannot be a donor.
    Fact: Due to the administration of immunosuppressive drugs, tissue donation can be a problem. Otherwise, the medical team can only determine whether a healthy organ can be retrieved. 

15. Myth: You have to be related to the recipient
    Facts: For qualifying to become a  living donor, you will undergo an extensive transplant evaluation to assess your health. A person with type O blood can donate organs to anyone, as they are “universal donors.” Also, you need not necessarily be from the same racial or ethnic group to donate an organ. 

16. Myth: Organ donation can severely impact your health
    Facts: Recovery periods vary, but within three months, most donors will return to their pre-donation health. For instance,  after donating a portion of your liver, cells in the remaining lobe regenerate or grow back to the original size. After a kidney donation, one kidney can still effectively remove waste from the body. 

17. Myth: Living organ donation is unsafe
    Facts: Living donors generally spend 2-7 days in recovery before being discharged from the hospital. Death resulting from organ donation is very rare. Organ retrieval and transplant is done under experts medical practitioners and all required precautions are taken for success.