Heartbeat: Hospital chaplain urges Asian community to join the organ donation register

September 25, 2018

Kidney transplant patient Bhavana Bhatt with her husband Rakesh Bhatt.

Hindu Chaplain, Rakesh Bhatt, whose wife underwent a life-saving kidney transplant after a 12 year wait, has urged the Asian community to join the organ donation register.

The 53-year-old revealed his family’s journey during Organ Donation Week (September 3-9).  His wife Bhavana Bhatt, 49, was told in 2006 that both her kidneys were failing due to complications caused by Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) – a disease which causes blood vessels in the skin, kidneys, intestines and joints to become inflamed and start leaking. Bhavana went on the waiting list, but a match wasn’t found until 2018.

Dad-of-two Rakesh said to Heartbeat: “Bhavana had the transplant but we were told it had failed within 48 hours and she went back onto the list. She had already waited seven years for the first transplant and we were left devastated when it didn’t work.

“Afterwards we were worried about how much longer we would have to wait for another match to come forward as the Asian community is very reluctant to join the register, which means there is a shortage of donors.”

It wasn’t until February this year that a match was finally found – 12 years after Bhavana first joined the register.

“We were still hopeful that it would work, despite our previous experience.  The operation was a success, and Bhavana’s body hasn’t rejected the kidney. She is doing extremely well.

“I have witnessed first-hand, through my work as a hospital chaplain that Asian patients in need of a donor are waiting longer than others.

“We need to encourage more people within our Asian communities to come forward. I think there is a general lack of awareness around organ donation and so we need to carry out more community events to promote how joining the register can save lives. This would work especially well if it is done by religious leaders.

“I also work within a temple, and I regularly invite clinicians from organ donation teams to come along and talk about the subject and why it is so important to join the register.”

Both Sandwell and City sites held events earlier this month, during Organ Donation Week, to raise awareness around the subject. A life size version of the game Operation was at the Birmingham Treatment Centre, where patients, visitors and staff will be able to have a go at removing organs from “Cavity Sam”.

Judith Martin, Specialist Nurse Organ Donation, said: “It’s a fun and interactive way to learn about organ donation and this is what we’d like people to do with their families for Organ Donation Week – just have a chat.

“If you are unsure about donation, please ask yourselves as a family; what would you do if one of you needed a transplant?  Would you accept a life-saving organ? If you’d take an organ, shouldn’t you be prepared to donate?”

Millions of people are already on the NHS Organ Donor Register, join them today and tell your family you want to save lives. Register at organdonation.nhs.uk.