“Service is not a thing to be spoken about from outside, it’s an enlightening virtue of realizing the inner self by giving oneself towards it.”
Leo Club of CEG is one such club with this motto in the mind, and this was evident from the Organ Donation Camp and Awareness Programme organized by them on 25th August (Tuesday), in association with the National Network for Organ Sharing (NNOS), and powered by the Lions Club of South Madras. The event, which started at 4:30 PM, saw a huge turnout of around 150 students, which was “unbelievable and formidable”, according to Mr. Prakash from the MOHAN (Multi Organ Harvest Aid Network) Foundation, that joins hands with the NNOS to transplant organs from the donors at the right time.
Mr. Prakash said, “It’s really encouraging to see college students getting involved in promoting an awareness, which is not so popular in our country and culture.” He also went on to add that organs can be transplanted only from the brain dead people and not those who die of natural causes; he reiterated the procedures carried out before officially donating an organ, and stressed that the organs would never be taken by force without the consent of the parents or the spouse of the concerned individual. “We don’t find laws here at our nation to automatically ask the relatives of the brain dead people to donate their organs because of superstitious religious beliefs and fear, whereas in certain foreign countries, laws have been formulated to donate organs compulsorily, under the mentioned circumstances.”
Leo Thyageshwaran, the District Chairperson, Leo Council, mentioned that this was a great initiative, and when they are made in a prestigious college, is prone to reach all layers of the society in a positive way. Lion Jagadeesan, President, Lions Club of South Madras, urged the students community from engineering background to focus more on Research and Development rather than looking for looking for lucrative IT and management jobs.
There was also the screening of the short film, HERO, directed by Leo Vigneshwar V, a final year Mechanical Engineering student, which highlighted the unmatched virtue of donating organs in a touching and sentimental way. All the crew members were applauded for their effort. Other notable dignitaries who were present were Leo Fazil and Leo Athika, Chairperson and Secreatry of the Leo Council, respectively, and the Staff Advisor of the Leo club of CEG Professor Dr. Vanaja Ranjan. At the end of the program with the National Anthem, people who were interested registered for donation of organs with approval from their concerned parents. Thanks to the Leos, this was one evening which not only provided a great initiative but also enlightened the students on the need to do something for a cause. As Prakash noted, “Heaven needs only our soul after death, not our body. So, let’s donate”.
