Brain dead woman's final act of kindness

Following the 63-year-old schoolteacher's last wish, her family donated her kidneys, eyes and liver to spreadawareness, help improve other people's lives

School teacher Minakshi R Shete has given a new lease of life to five people. Respecting the last wish of the 63-yearold, who was brain dead, her family members donated her kidneys, eyes and liver.

“My mother taught at a municipal school. She was quite aware of the importance of organ donation.We are proud that she donated her body to help others lead a better life,“ said her son Ronak Shete, who works with a private farm.

Body blow

While more and more Amdavadis aredonating their bodies for advancement of science, medical colleges refuse toaccept them citing lack of facility to preserve bodies or reluctance to workafter office hours

While medical colleges across the country are struggling to meet shortage of cadavers, city colleges are turning away donors' bodies. Lack of infrastructure to preserve the bodies is the reason that colleges like NHL and Sola give while refusing to accept the donations. LG and BJ medical colleges accept bodies, provided it is brought during office hours.

Ushmaben Shah, a 79-year-old cancer patient who breathed her last on May 22, 2015, wanted to donate her body to benefit medical students.But this noble approach hit a roadblock when medical colleges refused to take her body citing several excuses.

Social media boosts emergency network

Several organisations and philanthropists are using popular networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to raise help for needy patients in critical conditions

Philanthropists, government organisations and NGOs have jumped on to encash the reach and popularity of social media to provide assistance to patients during medical emergencies. They are also using them to spread awareness of organ and blood donations.

Hitendra Parmer's relative needed AB+ blood during an emergency.But it wasn't available in blood banks.Despite several attempts when he couldn't arrange it, Twitter came to his rescue. Within 30 minutes of tweeted about it, he received a donor.And throughout the day he kept receiving calls with offer to help.