From Mumbai to London, a journey to create awareness on organ donation

Mumbai-based man Shekhar Chilana has embarked on a long journey from his city to London in the United Kingdom (UK) to create awareness on organ donation.

Mumbai, April 25: Sample this. According to figures, more than 3 lakh people require organ transplant in India every year. Unfortunately, only two to three per cent of the patients is lucky enough to get a donor. The main reason, in India, people don't donate their organs due to various reasons.

"While it has improved over the past three to four years, lack of awareness still looms large. Every year, over 3 lakh people require organ transplant in India, but only 2 to 3 per cent of the demand is met. Finance becomes a major obstacle, too. The poor are unable to shell out enough money to get a transplant done and require aids from social organisations," CY Pal, founder of Transplant--Help the Poor Foundation, an NGO, told DNA. The NGO is working to create awareness on organ donation and help the poor to avail organ transplant.

Things are likely to change as indicated by Pal himself too, as more and more people want to raise awareness on organ donation. In fact, Mumbai-based man Shekhar Chilana has embarked on a long journey from his city to London in the United Kingdom (UK) to create awareness on organ donation.

Giving support to the cause of the banker, a group of his friends is also travelling with him. During the road trip, which is at least 23,000 km long, travellers will be visiting 14 countries.

"Mumbai: Bhal Shekhar Chilana along with a group of people will travel from Mumbai to London by road. The aim of this is to create awareness about organ donation. The group will visit 14 countries," tweeted ANI.

Chilana decided to take the journey after his daughter suffered from kidney failure and there was no organ available for transplant. Thankfully, his son-in-law decided to donate a kidney to his wife and thus Chilana's daughter was saved. Now, Chilana wants that more and more people pledge to donate their organs and save lives.