‘Spreading hope’ across 9,400 km: A dancer by profession, Lourd Vijay has initiated a drive across India to create awareness
Man who underwent surgery for a kidney transplant, begin nationwide organ donation awareness campaign
Spreading the message of organ donation, Lourd Vijay, a resident of Bengaluru, who underwent surgery for a kidney transplant, has begin a 40-day nationwide awareness campaign, during which he will drive across the length and breadth of the country.
He reached Mumbai on Friday, his second stop after Pune, to create awareness about organ donation at KEM Hospital, Parel.
A dancer by profession, Vijay is set to drive his social responsibility initiative called ‘Spreading Hope’. He is on a mission to raise nation-wide awareness on kidney awareness and the importance of organ donation.
In 2013, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and underwent a transplant in 2016 at Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru. He had been on the waiting list of kidney recipient for two and a half years.
He aims to drive from Chennai to Ladakh, covering 9,000 km in order to spread awareness about the seriousness of kidney disease.
Speaking about the initiative, Vijay, said, “Through Spreading Hope, I aim to inspire more than ten million people to pledge their organs and save lives. While creating awareness, I share my story and experience to convince people to donate their organs. In the south, most of the people are aware of it but in the north, there are few people who are aware of the cause.”
While driving from Chennai to Ladakh, he has planned to meet low-income people. The majority of people are aware of the donation but have no idea about the process. This drive helps them in understanding the process.
He added, “Awareness of kidney disease risks in India is very low. My mission is to help interested people convince their families and willingly register as donors.”
NUMBER TALK
- According to the research done by Vijay, around 1.5 million people need an organ transplant in India
- Around 2.2 lakh people are waiting for a kidney; 50,000 people are waiting for a heart and a liver in India
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Lourd Vijay")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}