World Organ Donation Day is observed on August 13 every year. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and transplantation. It encourages people to pledge to donate their organs and tissues after death to save lives and improve the quality of life for those in need. Various organizations and health institutions across the world participate in activities and campaigns to promote organ donation awareness on this day.

World Organ Donation Day 2023 Theme

The theme for World Organ Donation Day 2023 is “Step up to volunteer; we need more organ donors to fill the lacunae”. The theme focuses on a global call to the local public to emphasize the importance of pledging for organ donation, thereby decreasing the volumes raised for the need for an organ.

World Organ Donation Day 2023: History

World Organ Donation Day was first observed in 2005. The first organ donation was performed in 1954, when Ronald Lee Herrick donated his kidney to his twin brother. The surgery was a success and the brother lived for 8 years with the donated kidney.

World Organ Donation Day: First Organ Donor in India

According to various reports, the first organ donor in India is widely recognized as Lalitha Raghuram. In 1994, she became the first recorded living organ donor in the country when she donated a kidney to her husband, Dr Raghuram. This selfless act sparked awareness about organ donation and transplantation in India and played a significant role in encouraging the growth of deceased and living organ donation programs in the country.

How Can You Become an Organ Donor Today?

1. Sign up as an organ donor
   You can sign up to be an organ donor at your local DMV or online. When you sign up, you will be asked to provide some basic information, such as your name, address, and date of birth. You will also be asked to indicate which organs you would like to donate.
2. Talk to your family and friends about organ donation
   It is important to talk to your family and friends about your decision to become an organ donor. This way, they will know your wishes and they can help to carry out your wishes if you die in a way that makes you eligible to donate organs.
3. Get a donor card
   You can get a donor card from your local DMV or online. A donor card is a physical reminder of your decision to become an organ donor. You can carry it with you in your wallet or purse so that people know that you want to donate your organs if you die.
4. Become a living donor
   If you are healthy and you are willing to donate an organ to someone you know, you can become a living donor. Living donors can donate kidneys, livers, lungs, and parts of intestines.