Belpada: At a time when human values are on the wane and people are becoming more and more self-centric, three members of a family have decided to donate their bodies.
Prasanna Kumar Thakur, 72, his wife Pankajini, 67, and daughter Arati, 47 of Belpada area in Bolangir district have signed an agreement with the Principal of Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Bolangir for the donation.
Prasanna family comprised his three daughters and a son. He resides with his wife and unmarried elder daughter Arati at Belpada college square while his son stays at Patnagarh for his job.
His two other daughters -Bharati and Pravati, both teachers at Bolangir Sishu Mandir and Belpada Government Primary School respectively- have been married off.
Prasanna worked as a compounder in Belpada area. After serving as a pharmacist at different hospitals in Bolangir, Nuapada and Subarnapur, he took retirement 14 years ago.
Now the three members of the Thakur family are the center of all talks for their decision to donate their bodies to hospital so that some of their body parts remain alive even after their deaths.
Recently they entered into an agreement with the authorities of Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital after VIMSAR, their first preference, advised them to opt for Bolangir Government Medical College and Hospital.
“We had a discussion with the authorities of VIMSAR and expressed our wish to donate our bodies after our deaths for the cause of society,” said Prasanna.
“But we were advised to contact Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Bolangir as the possibility of the harvested organs getting vitiated was high in case they would be transported from Belapada in Bolangir to Burla,” he added.
After their application was not entertained by VIMSAR, they went to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Bolangir. They met Principal Dr Lalit Mohan Meher and sought his advice. The medical authorities readily accepted their proposal. Subsequently, an agreement was signed and ‘dead body receipt no-2, 3 and 4’ were provided to them.
When asked how and when he developed a desire for body donation, Prasanna narrated an accident two years ago. ‘Once there was a blood donation camp organised at Belpada. To donate blood, I reached there. After check-up, the doctors informed me that I had not enough blood to donate,” he said. This incident left him worried.
If doctors cautioned me against blood donation, who else can deny me if I donate my body, I thought later. When I broached the topic to my wife and daughter, they also joined me in this noble cause, Prasanna added.
When asked what made them to go with the decision of Prasanna, Pankajini and Aarati said, “We have decided it on our own. We think it is a noble deed. Even after our death, our body parts remain alive in someone’s body.”
PNN