KOCHI: The parishioners of Kaloor Pottakuzhy Little Flower Church have a special reason to beam a grand smile. Because they have joined the league of parishioners who have pledged to donate their organs after their death.
Members of over 1400 families have joined this movement in association with the Society for Organ Retrieval and Transplantation (SORT) and the crucial phase of its work was completed in a year culminating this month.
The parishioners made the move as part of the initiative of Varapuzha Archdiocese to make all of its parishes join the organ donation move. The Little Flower Church initiated the move in 2013 October and the certificate in this regard was presented to the vicar Fr Sebastian Moonnukoottunkal by Varapuzha Archbishop Dr Francis Kallarackal this month.
As part of the initiative, awareness classes were held in the parish in which doubts of the members were clarified on organ donation. The classes were organised in association with the Lourdes Hospital and the family units’ office bearers were first given awareness on the subject.
“This was important as there are several myths and misconceptions existing regarding organ donation. The initiate by the Church should be lauded,” said a SORT volunteer.
They were told that eyes, liver, heart, kidneys and skin can be donated after death. Eyes can be received from all dead while the rest can be taken only from brain dead persons.
Fr Moonnukoottungal said that the project faced obstacles first and there were doubts that the organs donated will be misused for monetary gains. “But once we moved with our mission, people joined wholeheartedly and we are happy to make it a success,” he said. He also added that several people came forward to donate their body for medical research after death, if it did not go against their faith.
