“As a person puts on new “I believe in organ garments giving up the old donation. If my body can ones, the soul similarly help someone else live a accepts new material better quality of life after bodies giving up the old my soul has vacated it How do I become a donor? and useless ones.” then it is good .” If you decide you would like to become a donor on your death, , chapter 2:22 Mr Arjan Vekaria JP, President you need to join the NHS Organ Donor Register to ensure your Hindu Forum of Britain wishes are recorded. Discuss your decision with those closest to Scientific and medical treatises you so that they are aware of your wishes. Adding your name to Organ donation (Charaka and Sushruta ) Information on is available the register is simple and quick: form an important part of the from: www.bbc.co.uk/religion . Sage Charaka deals with You can register online at internal medicine while Sage organdonation.nhs.uk and religious Sushruta includes features of organ Or call 0300 123 23 23 and limb transplants: “Organ donation is in beliefs keeping with Hindu beliefs as it can help to save the life of others.” The Late Mr Parkash Sharma MBE, President, National Council of Hindu Temples “I always carry my donor card with me. It says that my whole body can be used for organ donation and medical purposes after my death. I would like to encourage as many people as possible to do the same.” To find out more about organ The Late Dr Bal Mukund Bhala, and tissue donation, visit A guide to organ donation Co-ordinator Hindu International Medical Mission, Former President organdonation.nhs.uk Hindu Council UK and Hindu beliefs

OLC229P 2012 When can organ respect. The family can see the body Hinduism and donation take place? afterwards and staff can contact a chaplain or local religious leader Doctors and their colleagues are if the family wishes. organ donation committed to doing everything possible to save life. Organs are only removed for transplantation once all attempts to save Hinduism and organ donation Organ donation Why is it important to think life have failed and after death has been There are many references that support certified by doctors who are entirely the concept of organ donation in Hindu Organ donation is the gift of an organ to about donating organs? independent of the transplant team. scriptures. Daan is the original word in help someone else who needs a With medical advances it is now possible Most donated organs in the UK come Sanskrit for donation meaning selfless transplant. Hundreds of people’s lives are to use transplanted organs and tissues saved or improved each year by organ from people who die from a severe brain giving. In the list of the ten to enhance the life chances of those transplants. injury, and who are on a ventilator in an (virtuous acts) Daan comes third. suffering from a range of terminal Intensive Care Unit. The brain injury will Organs that can be donated by people conditions such as renal, liver and heart “Of all the things that it is have damaged the vital centres in the who have died include the heart, lungs, failure. More people than before now possible to donate, to donate brain stem which are essential to kidneys, liver, pancreas and small bowel. suffer from these conditions and some your own body is infinitely Tissue such as skin, bone, heart valves maintain life. Doctors call this ‘brain ethnic groups seem to be more affected and corneas can also be used to help stem death’. This is not the same as more worthwhile.” than others. others. being in a coma or ‘persistent The Manusmruti The person in need of an organ today vegetative state’. Tests are carried out Donation is an individual choice and “In the joy of others lies our views differ even within the same may be a stranger, but tomorrow that to strict guidelines to show conclusively religious groups. person could be someone you know when this has happened. When brain own.” and love dearly. So please take the time stem death is pronounced the patient His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, to think about becoming an organ may still be on a ventilator, and have a BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha donor and discuss your thoughts heart beat which continues to circulate with loved ones. blood around the body. This prevents Life after death is a strong belief of the organs from losing the oxygen-rich and is an ongoing process of Consent blood supply which is necessary for rebirth. The law of decides which a healthier transplanted outcome. way the soul will go in the next life. The The consent or permission of those Bhagavad Gita describes the mortal body closest to the potential donor is always Organs can also be donated from people and the immortal soul in a simple way sought before organs can be donated. whose death has been certified because like the relationship of clothes to a body: This is why it is so important to discuss their heart has stopped. Certification in your wishes with your loved ones should these ‘non-heart beating’ donors is also “Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya you decide to become a donor. Many by doctors who are entirely independent of the transplant team. navani grhnati naro ‘parani families who agree to organ donation tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany have said that it helps to know some “Of all the things that it is possible to donate, to donate good has come from their loss. anyani samyati navandi dehi” Care and respect your own body is infinitely more worthwhile.” Bhagavad Gita, chapter 2:22 The removal of organs and tissues is The Manusmruti carried out with the greatest care and