New Delhi:
Every year, 4 lakh people die waiting for organs in India. There is an urgent need to inform people about the need and importance of organ donation.
The organ donation rate in India is a dismal 0.5 persons per million population. Each one of us can become a donor and help save lives. To show support for the cause, people from all walks of life across the nation will join the NDTV-Fortis More To Give Walkathon - A Step Towards Organ Donation to raise awareness about the cause. We bring you live updates with the hope of triggering a nationwide movement.
Over 3000 people participated in the NDTV-Fortis Organ Donation Day #MoreToGive Walkathon to spread awareness about the cause of organ donation. National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has received 12 lakh pledges this year, many inspired by the #MoreToGive campaign.
A big thank you to all those who lent their support to the cause.You can take the pledge to donate your organs
here.
In a country where the number of organ donations are abysmal, these individuals remind us how a simple gesture can save lives -
Read More.NCC cadets at India Gate during the #MoreToGive Walkathon on Organ Donation Day. Cadets also joined the Walkathon in other cities to come out in support of the cause as the Organ Donation Day coincided with NCC Day.
Delhi comes out in huge numbers to support the cause of organ donation. Here's a 360 View of the #MoreToGive Organ Donation Walkathon at India Gate.
Here's the gap that India needs to bridge with organ donation.
Spotted during the #MoreToGive Organ Donation Day Walkathon.
On Organ Donation Day, thousands join the #MoreToGive Walkathon and say,
'Dil deke dekho' to create an awareness about the urgent need for India to donate organs.
In Numbers: The Status Of Organ Donation In India -
Know More.
In India, Nearly Half Of Those With Kidney Failure Are Diabetic -
Read More.
Life On A Waiting List: Where India Stands On Kidney Transplants -
Read More.
India has a lot of catching up to do in terms of organ donation.
Capt Naveen Guliya, who is war veteran amputee supported the organ donation cause said, "It should be the most obvious thing to do. When we give to others we find peace we find happiness."
Organ donation is confined to only state capitals. We need to diagnose brain death early, because delays there will cause deterioration in the quality of organs: Dr. Avnish Seth, Director, Gastroenterology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute
Our cinema is more about emotion than information, so we can definitely use emotion in our cinema to raise awareness about organ donation: Irrfan Khan, Actor and Campaign Ambassador
Meanwhile, #MoreToGive Walkathon continues, with thousands participating in the five city activity on Organ Donation Day to raise awareness and pledges for the cause.
'My Wife's Successful Liver Transplant Is Like A New Lease Of Life For An Entire Family', says Ramesh N Shah, his wife recently had a liver transplant.
Read More about Dipika Shah's story
here.
The second bottleneck is the availability of well trained transplant coordinators. There's also infrastructure which is not as much as we should have. Once this activity starts the awareness about organ donation will also pick up: Dr. Aarti Vij, Faculty Incharge, Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO), AIIMS
Read More about Transplant Coordinators:
The Critical Link To Increasing Organ Donation Rates
Apart from donations, we also need infrastructure. We need to upgrade our infrastructure because people have to go to big cities to get a transplant apart from dealing with the waiting list, says Dr. Aarti Vij, Faculty Incharge, Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO), AIIMS
Read More:
How Equipped Is India To Do Organ Transplant?
6 out of 10 families will agree to donate. Our challenge is get hospitals to certify brain death. Only after the certification can the family be briefed: Dr Shroff, Founder and Managing Trustee, Mohan Foundation
I have donated my eyes and heart, since a dancer's heart is like that of a soldier. I am happy to be associated with this cause because once you are dead, you are gone. No point wasting the organs that can help someone else: Sonal Mansingh, Classical Dancer
"Acceptance of brain death is the first challenge to organ donation", says Dr. Aarti Vij, Faculty Incharge, Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO), AIIMS
Here's a quick look at what is brain death. Read More:
Dummy's Guide To Organ Donation
Organ Donation Day coincides with NCC Day. Cadets participate in the Organ Donation Walkathon in Mohali.
360 View of Organ Donation Day #MoreToGive Walkathon: Thousands walk across four cities in India to spread awareness and get more pledges from people to donate organs.
To donate your organs, take the pledge
here.
#MoreToGive Walkathon has been flagged off in four cities - Mumbai, Chennai, Gurugram and Mohali.
Organ Donation Day #MoreToGive Walkathon flagged off in Mohali.
360 View of Actor and TV Host, Manish Paul flagging off the Organ Donation Day #MoreToGive Walkathon in Mumbai.
Actor and Campaign Ambassador Irrfan Khan and Deepa Malik, Paralympic Silver Medalist flag off the Organ Donation Day #MoreToGive Walkathon in Gurugram.
When people like Irrfan promote such a campaign it becomes an instrument of awareness. We must initiate such campaigns. The Walkathon is not about walking, the message should prevail: Deepa Malik, Paralympic Silver Medalist
I talk about Organ Donation to everybody who is around me. My relatives have faced problems, my nephew's wife has suffered organ failure. Please donate your organs, make someone else live their life: Irrfan Khan, Actor and #MoreToGive Campaign Ambassador
It's a great cause. Because of us someone will be able to live. I have also pledged my organs, and this campaign anthem is my contribution to the cause: Swanand Kirkire, Lyricist, Playback Singer
Listen and download the #MoreToGive Campaign Anthem
here.
Tamil Nadu ahead of rest of India in terms of organ donation. The organ donation numbers are 10 times higher than the national average. Read how Tamil Nadu got it right
here.
"I think awareness that donating organs is important and doesn't hurt anyone living or dead is critical, it is not against any religion it is not against any god: Khushboo, Actor and Politician at the flag off in Chennai for the #MoreToGive Walkathon
Hundreds gather across India to join the #MoreToGive Walkathon to raise awareness about organ donation.
Manish Paul flags off the Walkathon to spread awareness about Organ donation in Mumbai.
I totally believe that people need to be more aware.Today is the beginning: Manish Paul, Actor and TV at the flag off of the Organ Donation Day Walkathon in Mumbai.
5 lakh people die in India each year waiting for organs. Take the pledge to donate your organs
here.
Actor and TV Host Manish Paul at the flag off Organ Donation Day Walkathon in Mumbai.
People begin registering for Organ Donation Day Walkathon.
NDTV-Fortis Walkathon to spread awareness about organ donation gets underway.
To save lives, pledge to donate your organs
here. 
On Organ Donation Day on November 27, NDTV-Fortis as part of the #MoreToGive campaign to spread awareness about organ donation is organising a Walkathon in various cities across India.
According to an NGO Organ India, 36 persons per million of Spain's population donated organs in 2014. In Croatia, this figure was 35 per million, while 27.02 persons per million donated organs in the United States. In India, this figure is an appalling 0.34 per million.
There is a wide gap between the number of organs needed for transplants and organs available.
Recently, Sushma Swaraj, Minister for External Affairs tweeted about undergoing tests for Kidney transplant.
Approximately 5 lakh people die each year in India awaiting organ transplants.
In India, a huge gap persists between demand and supply of organs. Currently, the country has a donation rate of 0.5 per million, which is one of the lowest in the world.
