PHOTO: LiveOnNY
LiveOnNY, formerly New York Organ Donor Network, a federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) for the greater New York, recently hosted cultural competence training for its staff with a presentation on Understanding Hinduism, led by SUNY Downstate’s Oncologist Dr Vipul Patel. Patel is also the External Affairs Administrator for BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Flushing, NY.
The presentation followed by a question and answer session aimed to enhance understanding of the belief system of the South Asian community impacting their decisions on organ donation. The presentation was part of LiveOnNY’s attempt at cultural sensitivity training in dealing with a difficult subject for the South Asian community without hurting the sensibilities of the family members.
Attended by twenty five staff and executive members and CEO Leonard Achan, the program consisted of a power point presentation prepared by BAPS which described the beliefs of the ‘sanskaras’ of Hindu religion. It explained how Hinduism stresses ‘daan’ or giving placing it high in virtues. This could be pointed out while dealing with Hindu families of donors, Patel said. He pointed out that ultimately, donating organs is an individual choice, dependent on personal beliefs.
Patel was accompanied by Girish Chawda, a senior member of the Mandir, and Aryan Patel and Tirth Patel from the Mandir’s youth group who are considering taking Biology in college.
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Answering questions, Patel explained that Hindus may have trouble accepting organ donation because of their belief in whole body cremation. Questions centered on how to open conversation and convince family members about organ donation while their loved one was in the hospital. Most of the questions, however, were focused on understanding Hindu beliefs.
Arranged by Achan and Dunesh Kaur, Community and Public Affairs Liaison at LiveOnNY, the program was successful in increasing the emotional intelligence regarding organ donations in the community.
Speaking to News India Times, Kaur spoke about the increasing health related issues in the South Asian community including heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, and more. Kaur said her endeavor is to match the need for transplants within the community with actual donations from the community.
“Given these challenges, it is more important than ever to have open, proactive conversations about the importance of organ donation. Increasing awareness can save lives—not just within our community but across all communities in need,” said Kaur.Kaur, who has a master’s degree in Public Health from Hofstra University, is motivated to increase the community’s chances of survival through organ donations.
Agreeing it is a difficult task, Kaur said, in her experience, the idea of saving one or more lives is what helps families make the decision. However, trust in the person speaking to them plays a big role, she admitted. Raising awareness and encouraging informed discussions is the first step towards speaking to the families of donors, she said.
Kaur informed that she has been liaising with many temples in the community, including the Radha Govind Temple on Hillside Avenue, the Gurudwara in Richmond Hill, the Shiv Shakti Temple in Glen Oaks to approach the South Asian community in a comfortable spiritual environment. As part of community outreach she has designed brochures containing a Hindu Fact Sheet in Hindi and English, made presentations in Hindi and worked personally with families.
She said she appreciated the support from the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Flushing for their support in spreading the life-saving message. “Their efforts in sharing organ donation information with the Mandir community have been invaluable,” she said.
Speaking to News India Times, President and CEO, Leonard Achan, also stressed the importance of meeting the community, educating them and bringing awareness about the power of organ and tissue donation.
“Collaborations with organizations like BAPS Mandir are so meaningful because they allow us to connect directly with the South Asian community, to listen, to educate, and to build trust,” Achan said.
Speaking about LiveOnNY’s deep committed to investing in South Asian communities, Achan said the organization has been, for the past three years, raising awareness, dispelling myths, and empowering more families to have the option to have a legacy of donation.
Patel told News India Times he found LiveOnNY’s staff dedicated to its mission. “I was impressed by the genuine desire of the staff members to learn and acquaint with Hindu traditions and culture. Their interest was evident in the number of questions they asked,” he said. Patel said he was encouraged to spread awareness about organs ‘daan’ and about Hinduism by the Swamis at the Flushing Mandir. They said it saves lives, Patel said.
LiveOnNY facilitates organ donation and transplants in greater New York area. Working with local hospitals and transplant centers, the organization serves about 8,000 potential organ recipients in New York, caring for the emotional state of families of donors at the same time.