Ace cricketer, Gautam Gambhir, launches ‘Gift A Life’ Initiative

A website to create awareness about organ donation, initiated by the Apollo Transplant Institutes

New Delhi, 10th November 2011: Gautam Gambhir, one of India's top cricketers, launched ‘Gift A Life’ initiative at a Press Conference in the capital today. The initiative along with its website is supported by the Apollo Transplant Institutes, to encourage people to take a pledge for donating organs to save countless lives in the process.

The mission of ‘Gift A Life’ is to ensure that no person in India dies for want of an organ. This public awareness initiative aims to bring together information and awareness on the issue of organ donation. The website endeavors to start and then sustain a movement on organ donation and awareness.

Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals, said, “We desperately need to create awareness about organ donation while in Spain 33 per million population organ donations take place, in India the rate is 0.1 per million population. It is now more than 15 years since the law declaring brain death came into effect in India, yet there is limited awareness that one individual can gift lives to atleast 8 patients with organ failure. As a clinician it really pains to lose a child for want of an organ.”

Taking the pledge, Gautam Gambhir said, “Thousands die every year for want of organs and I feel through initiatives like ‘Gift a Life’ we can do society good by bridging the gap. I appeal to the media to create awareness about organ donation. I would like to urge everyone to make this decision to donate their organs."

Leading specialists from Apollo Hospitals were present at the Press Conference showcasing their support towards the initiative.

Shortage of donors and organs has impeded the necessary thrust required to save more lives. More than one lakh people need replacement treatment for their ailments and living donors suffice only a fraction of the demand.

‘Gift A Life’ would like to encourage everyone to pledge to donate their organs simply by signing up on the website- wwwgiftalife.org.

About Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, India’s first JCI accredited hospital, is a joint venture between the Government of Delhi and Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited. Commissioned in July 1996, it is the third super-specialty tertiary care hospital set up by the Apollo Hospitals Group. Spread over 15 acres, it houses 57 specialties with more than 300 specialists and more than 600 operational beds, 19 operation theatres, 138 ICU beds, round-the-clock pharmacy, NABL accredited laboratories, 24-hour emergency services and an active air ambulance service. Apollo Hospitals Delhi has the leading programme in kidney and liver transplant in the country. The first successful pediatrics and adult liver transplants in India were performed at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. The hospital is at the forefront of medical technology and expertise. It provides a complete range of latest diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities for the care of its patients. The Hospital has introduced the most sophisticated imaging technology to India with the introduction of 64 slice CT and 3 Tesla MRI and Novalis Tx. Indraprastha Apollo has also pioneered the concept of preventive health check programmes and has created a satisfied customer base over decades. The Hospital has been consistently ranked amongst the best 10 hospitals in India by The Week survey for the past few years.