Mumbai: On the occasion of Organ Donors’ Day, Gleneagles Hospitals and Narmada Kidney Foundation celebrated the selflessness of organ donors and their families in a heart-warming event at Swt. Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak, Shivaji Park.
Initiated in 1997 by Dr. Mita Shah and Dr. Bharat Shah, founder members, and managing trustees, the Narmada Kidney Foundation was the first organization in the country to recognize living donors for their generosity and sacrifice by organizing Organ Donors’ Day.
This year’s program honored 49 living donors and 41 deceased donor families for their extraordinary acts of generosity and celebrated the act of kindness that saved lives. The event was attended by over 500 living and deceased donor families. Present on the occasion were esteemed guests, including Padmashri Uday Vishwanath Deshpande, renowned Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, actress Meera Chopra, and film director Saahil Shirwaikar.
Shri Sanjay Dutt expressed his gratitude, stating, “It is truly heartening to see such generosity. My father, who was the chief guest in 1997 when the Narmada Kidney Foundation Program organized the first program must be watching from above and feeling proud. I am deeply thankful to these donors for giving hope to people with organ failure.”
Actress Meera Chopra shared “Organ donation is an incredibly selfless act. I am honored to be part of this event and felicitate these heroes.”
Padmashri Uday Vishwanath Deshpande emphasized “A medical problem shouldn’t deter you from progressing. Today, I am proud to have brought my visually impaired students who performed Mallakhamb to show that barriers can be overcome.”
Mr. Saahil Shirwaikar, director of the movie Lifeline, highlighted the importance of organ donation by underscoring, “Through my film, I aim to inspire society to understand and embrace the importance of organ donation.”
In addition to the felicitation ceremony, Gleneagles Hospitals, and Narmada Kidney Foundation organized the National Transplant Games, an annual event held since 2008 aimed at enhancing the morale of both living organ donors and transplant recipients. This year, The National Transplant Games supported by the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation and Ghatkopar Jolly Gymkhana saw participation of about 300 living donors and transplant recipients from different parts of the country. The games were held at Ghatkopar Jolly Gymkhana and inaugurated by Dr. Bipin Chevale, CEO, of Gleneagles Hospitals, Parel, Mumbai.
The event brought together heart, liver, kidney, and even hand transplant recipients, showcasing their strength and resilience. Living donors who donated kidneys or a part of their liver participated in the games that symbolize strength. They inspire confidence among recipients and donors while promoting the life-changing impact of organ donation. The Games featured events like relay running, pickleball, box cricket, badminton, carom, and chess. A new game Petanque was also introduced this year. This celebration of life and courage served as a beacon of hope for thousands and strengthened the message of organ donation, said Mr. Dnyanraj Patkar, a transplant recipient himself and president of the Narmada Kidney Foundation.
Organ donation is a profound act of humanity that gives the “gift of life” The message of the Narmada Kidney Foundation is “Don’t take your organs to heaven for God knows they are needed here”
Dr Bipin Chevale, CEO, of Gleneagles Hospitals, Parel, Mumbai expressed gratitude to the participants and attendees, calling the event an inspiring tribute to humanity. He felicitated the families of living and deceased donors. “At Gleneagles Hospital, we harness cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities to transform the gift of organ donation into life-saving miracles. Our advanced surgical capabilities and dedicated teamwork in perfect harmony, offering recipients a new lease on life,” highlighted Dr Chevale.
