On World Organ Donation Day, Medanta - The Medicity, in collaboration with the Mohan Foundation, unveiled a thought-provoking exhibit titled "Life Before Ashes" in the main lobby of their Gurugram facility. The installation featured life-sized replicas of a heart, kidney, liver, and lung, all made from ashes, to emphasize a powerful message: these ashes could have been life-saving organs if they had been donated.

The exhibit was spearheaded by Medanta's leading transplant experts, including Dr. Anil Bhan, Dr. Arvind Kumar, Dr. Rajesh Ahlawat, and Dr. A.S. Soin. It aimed to provoke reflection on the crucial impact of organ donation and encouraged visitors to pledge to become organ donors.

Organ donation is a critical lifeline, with each donor potentially saving the lives of 7-8 patients. Despite this, the demand for organs far exceeds the number of available donors, leaving many patients on waiting lists with dire consequences. In India, the disparity is stark: approximately 180,000 people suffer from kidney failure, yet only around 6,000 transplants are performed annually. Similarly, there are about 1,500 liver transplants done each year out of the needed 25,000-30,000, and only 10 to 15 heart transplants are conducted despite 50,000 individuals suffering from end-stage heart failure. Cornea transplants are also in short supply, with only 25,000 performed annually against a requirement of 100,000.

This shortage in India is largely due to misconceptions about organ donation, including fears of body desecration and concerns about financial costs for the donor’s family. The country's deceased organ donation rate has remained under one donor per million people for the past decade, far below the 65 donations per million needed to meet the demand. Additional challenges include difficulties in donor-recipient matching, limited public awareness, and inadequate infrastructure.

The "Life Before Ashes" exhibit serves as a poignant reminder of the difference organ donation can make, offering end-stage organ disease patients a second chance at life through the act of giving.