Organ donation: Students lend their ears and hands

Over 200 students pledge to donate organs; colleges to conduct plays, campaigns

A look through the long waiting lists for organs at civic hospitals across the city made more than 200 students from a south Mumbai college sign a pledge to donate their organs.

Encouraged by the response, the management of Lala Lajpatrai College in Haji Ali has decided to take the campaign outside its campus to woo other Mumbaiities to join the cause.

“Our students have planned an entire campaign which started by sensitising our college mates and then encourage other people to become an organ donor. Over the weekend our students were spread across the city taking this awareness programme to the masses,” said Sangeeta Makkad, coordinator. bachelors of mass media,

At MD College, Parel, National Service Scheme (NSS) students tied up with a non-governmental organisation, Mohan Foundation, in conducting a workshop on campus. “We were hoping to explain to students how this process works, but many have agreed to pledge for the cause without even consulting their parents. Awareness is of utmost importance,” said T Ghule, principal, MD College.

The group was engaged in similar programmes with other institutes across the state.

While awareness programmes on campus include discussions and interactive sessions, some stage street plays to put the point across. BMM students of Nagindas Khandwala College in Malad have invited experts to sensitise their students. Students then used the knowledge to plan street plays which will be enacted across Mumbai this week. “Instead of simply pledging to become an organ donor, we want to make sure that the youth understands why this is a very important issue. We want them to know why they need to be aware and how they can help. Our camping aims at awareness and we hope to reach out to as many people as possible,” said Preethi Rao, BMM coordinator of the college. RD National College in Bandra directed its awareness campaign towards parents.

For 20-year-old Arishti Sheth, attending a workshop on organ donation encouraged her to take this message to her friends and teachers in college. “We think of organ donation as a concept that can happen to others, but not about how we can help in this cause. I convinced our professor to work a campaign around this issue and through social media we’ve reached out to more students from other colleges,” said the thirdyear BMM student of Lala Lajpatrai College. Students from other colleges such as Narsee Monjee College, Mithibai College ( both in Vile Parle) and St Xavier’s College in Dhobi Talao have adopted similar awareness campaigns.