A marathon drive for organ transplant

A marathon drive for organ transplant
Express News Service Posted: Jan 17, 2009 at 0137 hrs
Mumbai For 13-year-old Bhavya Mehta the Mumbai Marathon has a special purpose. Bhavya suffered a kidney failure seven years ago. However, today he is leading a normal life thanks to a successful kidney transplant from a cadaver donation programme. The teenager wants to run the 7-kilometre Dream Run of the Mumbai Marathon to spread awareness about prevention of kidney diseases.

“I was diagnosed with a kidney failure when I was very young. Life had temporarily come to a standstill but thanks to a successful kidney transplant, I got my life back,” says Bhavya. “I will be running the Dream Run on Sunday. This is my first time at the marathon and I am very excited, I have practised hard for it by cycling daily and playing cricket. I am running at the marathon to tell everyone that life does not stop because of kidney diseases,” says Bhavya.

The annual Mumbai Marathon will see several people from the Mumbai Kidney Foundation taking the run to spread awareness about kidney diseases and dialysis. Liver transplant recipient, Dr Anil Suchak will be one such participant. “Two years ago I got hepatitis and it lead to liver cirrhosis. I became terminally ill and was operated in February 2007. Today I lead a very healthy life,” says Suchak. Suchak will be running the marathon to tell people that kidney patients do not have to lead a vegetable life. “The marathon is a great medium to spread message about any topical issue. I am using the platform to spread awareness. New Liver, New life is going to be my message,” says Suchak.

As many as 36 people including dialysis patients, transplant patients, dialysis technicians, nurses and doctors will be participating in the marathon. They will be using kidney-shaped clothes and carrying kidney-shaped placards to drive home their point.

150 officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will also be participating in the marathon, their message for the people being ‘Green Mumbai Clean Mumbai.’

In addition to top officials like Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) R A Rajeev, deputy municipal commissioner, lower ranked clerks, junior officials and labourers will also participate in the run. A group of 20 officials from the Municipal Secretary’s office will also participate in the marathon. The group will be supporting the cause of the girl child and intends to create awareness about female infanticide. Their campaign is titled ‘Inner Voice’. The civic officials plan to dress up as renowned women personalities to bring to light the potential of the girl child.

While civic officials will mark their presence in huge numbers at the marathon, railway officials are not far behind. More than 160 people from the Central Railway (CR) and the Western Railway (WR) would be participating in Sunday’s marathon headed by their general managers.

According to Shriniwas Mudgerikar, chief spokesperson, CR, 110 CR employees would be participating in the marathon including CR general manager Bharat Bhushan Modgil and his family. Thirty senior rank officers including Uday Bobate, chief traffic manager, Vinit Gupta, secretary to general manager, Nalini Kak, financial advisor and chief accounts officer would be participating in the marathon.

WR’s general manager Ravindra Nath Verma will also run the marathon. “The marathon is a symbol of oneness in difficult times and so we are participating in it,” said Verma.

As many as 50 senior officials from WR including assistant general manager R S Chug, divisional railway manager C P Sharma, chief spokesperson S S Gupta and cricketer Sanjay Bangar would be participating in the marathon. Ten WR employees will run the full marathon while 7 will run the half-marathon.

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