IN A BID to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation amongst Hindus, BAPS Charities, partnering with the Leicestershire Kidney Patients’ Association (LKPA), NHS Blood &Transplant, and the National Kidney Federation (NKF),will host an event at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Leicester.
The event ‘Making the Gift of Life Possible’ to be held from 4pm to 8pm on Sunday (June 16) aims to get as many Hindus as possible to sign up to the Organ Donor Register.
Dr Sejal Saglani, Head of BAPS Health Care and volunteer of BAPS Charities, said, “We are delighted to host this conference to tackle an important concern within the Hindu community which will help those in need of vital organs.
“Although almost a quarter of all patients awaiting transplantation are of Asian origin, only 3 per cent of subjects registered for organ donation are from an Asian background.”
Barriers that prevent Hindus from considering organ donation and transplantation, and will tackle religious and cultural issues will be discussed, whilst reinforcing that Hinduism is fully supportive of organ donation. Specialist speakers include Dr Rakesh Patel, Dr Sunil Daga, as well as Hindu beneficiaries of organ donation.
The event will provide an opportunity for discussions, particularly relating to the Hindu perspective of organ donation.
Testimonies from Hindu patients awaiting transplants, transplant recipients, and their families will be heard.
Margaret Ince, Chair of the Leicestershire Kidney Patients’ Association said, “Organ donation not only gives joy and life to the recipients, and their families and friends, but also, for deceased donors, helps their families come to terms with their loss by finding benefit in this “gift of life” to others.”
Kirit Modi, Chairman of the NKF, added, “I am urging all individual Hindus and Hindu organisations in this country to respond positively to addressing the shortage of organs so that we can save lives. Together we can make a difference. Please talk to your family members about organ donation and register on the national organ donor register today.”
For further information, please contact Sanjiv Patel on [email protected]or 07711 099886.
