World Organ Donation Day 2023: Significance of the day; how is organ donation done and who is eligible

World Organ Donation Day 2023: Organ donation can save up to seven people's lives. All you want to know about significance of the day.

World Organ Donation Day is observed every year on August 13 to spread awareness around importance of organ donation and bust myths around it. Organ donation means when a person allows to surgically remove their organ and transplanting it to another person. This is done with the content of the donor when they are alive or that of their kin when they are no more. While people can donate some organs while they are alive like kidney, or part of liver, usually it's done after a person passes away. Many people choose to register for organ donation to help improve other people's live even when they are not around anymore. (Also read: Why does India have so few organ donors?)

How is organ donation done

"The term organ donation means a noble act in which a person donates his/her organ to another person who is suffering from organ failure. This is a legal process as the donor needs to sign a consent form during his/her lifetime for donating organs, otherwise family members can give consent for donation at the time of death. Organs which can be donated includes liver, kidney, pancreas, lung,heart intestine, cornea, bone, tissues and many more," says Dr Anuja Porwal, Additional Director, Nephrology, Fortis Hospital, Noida.

Significance of World Organ Donation Day

World Organ Donation Day is observed on August 13, 2023 every year in order to raise awareness about the importance of and help people understand organ donation. Organ transplantation can help in saving and transforming the lives of people who have been fighting to survive.

Who is eligible for organ donation?

Dr Porwal says there are some myths around the theory of organ donation which need to be addressed.

• There is no monetary involvement in organ donation.
• Organ donation does not result in disfigurement of the body of the donor. The recovery of organs, tissue and eyes is a surgical procedure performed by trained medical professionals, without any disfigurement.

A noble act

"This day is also observed in order to honour those who have stepped forward in order to donate their organs to save another person’s life. Organ donation or we can say organ transplantation can save or transform someone’s life. A fact is that one person can save up to seven people's lives," says Dr Porwal.

Why people should pledge organ donation

"We cannot avoid death neither we can run away from death, but a person can save another person’s life by pledging his/her organs for organ donation. We all need to be committed for organ donation - a generous act of donating organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and pancreas. The transplantation of these vital organs can give a new life to up to seven to nine patients who are struggling with life and death due to organ failure and in absence of any donor present in their family," concludes Dr Porwal.