Priyanka’s gift of life

published by Asianpost on Thu, 03/13/2008 - 15:15

Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra has pledged to donate her organs at a function organised by the Army Organ Retrieval and Transplantation Authority (AORTA) in Mumbai.

“I am proud to be a child of an army officer and happy that the armed forces are doing so well in the field of organ donations,” Priyanka said. “I know the value of organ donation as my father at one point was deeply in need of one. As conscious individuals we should all pledge to donate our organs.”

Over 1,000 armed forces personnel have already pledged to donate their organs, once they are brain dead, a situation when a person’s brain stops functioning but blood continues to flow through the body. Pledging his organs, cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu said: “Organ donation is a good example of best humanity.”

When asked if he will prod his parliamentarian colleagues to pledge their organs, Sidhu said: “If they attend such programs then certainly all of them will do what I did today.”

Defence Minister A.K. Antony felicitated nine armed forces families that came forward to save the life of others at a program held at Air Force auditorium here.

“These nine families are really brave,” said Col. A.K. Seth, director of AORTA.

Seth said celebrities like Chopra and Sidhu will help the cause of organ donation. “Public listen to these celebrities and I am sure a lot of people will pledge after listening to them,” Seth, who himself is a transplant surgeon, told IANS.