Body donation: Elderly woman shows the way

BHOPAL: In death, an elderly woman set an an example for others worth emulating. Honouring wish of 67-year-old Usha Paliwal, who breathed her last on Wednesday, her son and other family members,donated her body to All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Bhopal with help from Bhopal Organ Donation Society.
Talking to TOI, deceased's son, Arun Paliwal, joint director (finance), urban administration and development, said "10 days ago, when my mother was admitted to a hospital she expressed the wish to my father that after her death, body be donated to medical college for the benefit of medical studies."
He said "Five years ago, when my mother suffered abdomen pain, a doctor assumed that it was diarrohea, but after pathology tests it was discovered she had multi-organ problem." Then, she was hospitalized for few months.For last 5 years, she has no health problems. She was not hospitalized even for once during his period. But around 10 days ago, her health deteriorated and she was kept in ICU, he said. On Wednesday morning, doctors pronounced her dead. After that with my father's signatures, her body was donated to the AIIMS, he said.
The family, who lives in Char Imli area, was committed to fulfil her last wish. Though authorities refused to take eyes and skin due to infection, the family insisted that her body be donated for medical students of AIIMS so that it can help them in practical.
Bhopal Organ Donation Society coordinator Dr Rakesh Bhargav said it was around 7 am when we got a call from deceased's family for skin, eyes and body donation. But after a check-up, it was found she had infection in kidneys.