“We will never forget the endless wait and extensive ordeal which we faced, while waiting for an organ transplant, which would give our daughter a second chance at life. The memories of the year that has gone by our still freshly embedded inside our hearts. We spent long sleepless nights, wondering whether our daughter would ever a heart transplant,” says Krishna Mujmule, the father of the four-year-old girl, Dhanashree who belongs to Jalna, Maharashtra.
Dhanashree’s father added, “Whenever we travelled with her. I would place my hand on her heart to check if everything was alright. Those were hard times for us. We do not want anyone else to ever face what we went through, we will do our best to ensure that no one has to ever face when we faced. This is the reason why, my entire family has decided to make it our mission to spread awareness on organ donation.”
This is why Krishna Mujmule firmly decided to start raising awareness on organ donation. Mujmule says that he will do anything he can for people in society to become aware about this vital subject.
In keeping with our series of stories related to raising awareness on organ donation, we bring you Krishna Mujmule’s heart-wrenching story and what prompted him as a person to go forth and inform people about organ donation.
Speaking to My Medical Mantra, Krishna said, “Before our daughter’s illness, we had no idea what organ donation or organ transplantation meant. We were made aware of this concept through doctors, NGO’s and other social organisations. There must me many people out there, who are still unaware about what organ actually means.”
He added, “I try and inform whoever I can about what organ donation is and what they should know about it. Wherever I go I tell people about the things my daughter and my family experienced during those testing times. And I spread the word on organ transplant and organ donation to the masses.”
Krishna further said, “Due to the lack of awareness regarding organ donation, the number of organ donors are very few. As there is little or almost no information easily available on this crucial topic, when a medical emergency strikes; many people are unaware where to go and what to do about it. Apparently this is more problematic in rural and remote areas of the country, but this problem can also persist in urban areas.”
He elaborated saying, “As the patient and relatives are uninformed, the disease progresses ahead and the patient’s health deteriorates. If the information is readily available to the family, when their family member has received a diagnosis of the disease then both valuable time and a precious life can be saved from being lost forever. If people in society are aware about organ donation, then all the hurdles which lie ahead can be crossed with renewed determination.”
Krishna said, “This is why I have made it my mission to spread awareness on organ donation. If anyone benefits due to me sharing my experience, then it will be a great deal of pride for me, that I could help someone in a way.”
According to Krishna Mujmule, the journey does not end after an organ transplant, the road ahead further stretches on and the struggle continues. He said, “Even after the organ transplant is done, the family has to face more hardships due to the high cost of life-saving immunosuppressants. The key issue in regard with this is the expenses a family has to face due to the price of the drugs which an organ recipient requires for their entire life. If these medicines are made affordable it will greatly benefit many people.”