Twenty-four-year-old Amit Jain died in a road accident last year and his mother Rekha is still trying to come to terms with the loss but she reflects with pride her dying son’s decision to donate his kidneys and cornea.

On World Organ Donor Day (November 30), Amit’s parents and 11 others who donated their kidney, will be felicitated at a special function here.

“There is a need for awareness on kidney donation, especially cadaver kidneys,” says Rohini Sahasrabuddhe, the dialysis and transplant coordinator of the renal unit of KEM Hospital.

Sahasrabuddhe, who is also one of the trustees of the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre, says the number of cadaver kidneys donated since 2004 in Pune region was only 24.

Rekha, whose son died last year, says, “We are happy that his kidneys have helped a patient with renal failure.”

“We try to encourage relatives of patients who are brain dead to donate their organs,” says Sahasrabuddhe.

Efforts at times meet with success. Recently, 40-year-old Nachiket Khisti, suffering from intra-cranial bleeding, was declared brain dead. His organs including kidneys, liver and cornea were donated. Khisti’s cousin Rohan Kulkarni recalls that Nachiket had expressed a wish to donate his eyes and at KEM Hospital and counsellors also convinced family members to permit donation of other organs. Nachiket’s donation saved more than four lives.

Dr F F Wadia, Director, Renal unit of KEM Hospital, where a 148 kidney transplants have been performed, says awareness is needed on kidney donation.

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