Tuesday, February 5, 2008

AMAN-- THE ANGEL--About a 14 year old who lives through 11 people

MIDDLE Published in The Tribune page 10 AMAN--The Angel--Is About a 14-year old who lives through 11 people
by Rashmi Talwar (Amritsar)
February 5, 2008

I rushed into the arms of Mamta Jain, my dearest friend, at the Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi. She wailed “My baby” “My Baby” and broke in tears. This was my second time to the hospital straight from the railway station since Mamta’s only son Aman was admitted there in the April of 2005. All around her relatives and friends cried anew with the mother’s sobs as her son struggled between life and death from an acute asthma attack rendering him comatose. As Mamta’s tears poured down my neck, suddenly she lifted her head and announced that she and her husband Arun Jain had decided to donate all the organs of their 14-year-old son who was declared brain dead. The announcement by this couple from Gurgaon took everyone by surprise and overwhelmed even those unknown to them, while the hospital suddenly showed signs of furious activity. The couple, their family and friends had tried every possible means to revive the son who was the youngest after two daughters Rashi and Disha. Oxygen tent, rushing to gurus, “mannat” to reiki, no stone was left unturned, as round the clock the family prayed for a “miracle”. Mamta and Arun even recorded their voice telling Aman how much they loved him, reminding him of their good times together and conveyed their message through a walkman to rekindle the desire to fight back and live again! When all hope failed they decided that their beloved son would not go unsung — he would go as an “angel”. They donated all his organs and gave fresh lease of life to 11 people. In a moment alone Mamta answered to me that she feels proud to have been able to carry out such a decision and didn’t let the thoughts of his teenage body being cut even as his heart was kept beating to flush the organs, ever cloud her mind. I felt like saluting this courageous and brave woman! Many letters of condolences praising the couple poured in for months. Many were read out at his “chautha” ceremony. It reminded me of the first time we had come for Aman’s birthday celebration to Gurgaon and the present scenario of kidney racket in the same city that threw up suggestions in favour of cadaver donations. A recent article about an army hospital research and referral in Delhi truly showed the way to organ donation and a wakeup call to all those who truly feel close to god unmindful of dogmas and superstitions of their religion. As one poster in this hospital reads, “Don’t carry your organs to heaven because God knows we need them here more ….” Aman truly became an “angel” not only for his parents who still cradle his memories in scrapbook and the 11 who benefited from him but for all those who hear his story.

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