Thousands of people die every year due to organ failure. The need for donated organs is much more than the number of donated organs. Everybody should consider themselves potential organ and tissue donors—regardless of age, health, race, or ethnicity. No one is too old or too young to be a deceased donor, and most major religions also support donation.

 Dr. A.G.K Gokhale says that even if you have an illness or a health condition, you may be able to donate your organs and/or tissues upon death. Doctor will examine your organs and determine if they are suitable for donation. Few conditions like active cancer, HIV or a systemic infection would prevent you from becoming a donor.

There is no cut-off age for donating organs. There are cases where organs have been successfully transplanted from newborns and also from people who are older than 80 years of age. It is possible to donate a kidney, heart, liver, lung, pancreas, cornea, skin, bone, bone marrow and intestines.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions that are associated with donating an organ. Here Dr. A.G.K. Gokhale debunks those misconceptions, so we can all take a step towards saving a life.

• The doctor who is treating you in a hospital has no tie ups to the transplantation, so you do not have to worry about the doctor giving you inferior care or having a vested interest in getting your organs for someone else.
• Organ donation is favored by the beliefs of most religions, including Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.
• Donation will not change the appearance of the body. Organs will be removed surgically in a routine operation. So the body can then be cremated in accordance with the religious requirements.
• The costs for organ removal and surgery are paid by the recipient of the organ, not the donor.
• Organ transplant recipients are not selected randomly, but are selected on the basis of medical urgency and compatibility, not sex or race.

Dr. Gokhale highlights the part that you can donate the organs at any age, there is no limitation of age whatsoever, and very few medical conditions inhibit you from doing so. Also you can donate more than one organ and save more than one life.

Dr Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale
Director, Heart and Lung Transplantation Program
Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic and Minimal Access Surgeon