Mr. Jyotindra Mehta has honoured me by asking me to write foreword for his Book -- "LIFE WITH ONE KIDNEY". He knows me as a social worker and one of the avenues of my work has been donation of eyes, donation of kidney and donation of body -- after death.

When I was The Chairman of the Col. Sir J. J. Duggan Eye Bank of Maharashtra about 15 years ago, only this Eye Bank was permitted to collect eyes from the donors. It was on my representation that the Government of Maharashtra have now permitted eight major hospitals in Mumbai to remove eyes from dead bodies when the near relations of the deceased consent to donate them.

At one time we could give only one good Cornea to a blind person who had lost his vision by damage to his cornea. Thanks to the excellent propaganda that has been carried on for the last 15 years, our Eye Banks are now in the happy position of not only providing two Corneas to every blind person, but are also exporting corneas to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Next comes the donation of body - after death. At present, the Director of the Anatomical Department in the J. J. Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, Dr. (Mrs.) Lata Mehta, has got a list of about 170 persons (both men and women) who have promised donation of their bodies -- after death. Since the consent of the 'Successor' of the donor is absolutely necessary according to Indian Law, such consent has been duly obtained in respect of all promised donations. Ultimately, how many of such donations will materialise will depend upon the nature of death, the place of death, the condition of the body at the time of death and the willingness of the 'Successor' to donate the body of the deceased.

The above two types of donations are made after death, so that the donor is not put to any pain or loss by making such a donation . Nevertheless, people are still reluctant to make Donations of eyes or of the Body which are of great value to society -- the former giving vision to a blind person, while the latter being useful to Teaching Hospitals for Anatomical Research and education of medical students.

Finally, we come to the donation of kidney . Fortunately, for us, God has given us two kidneys and hence, one can be spared without any adverse effects on the functional organs of the body . Even so, people are most reluctant to donate a kidney for fear of either losing their life, or not being able to lead a normal life of activity or being rendered helpless if the remaining kidney fails.

It is rather sad that not enough propaganda is being carried on to bring to the notice of the people that the kidney of a donor must match with the kidney of the recepient -- which is generally the case when donated to the very near family members. For others whose kidney fails, the only alternative is dialysis , which is extremely costly in Private Hospitals, the bill amounting to a little over Rs. 3,000/- per month. Hence, only the very rich can afford dialysis.

In the Government and Municipal Hospitals, dialysis treatment is practically free. However, there are long queues of such patients at every such hospital , so that it is not possible for all the patients to get dialysis treatment -- promptly and effectively. I understand that now such free dialysis is given only to those patients who are prepared to undergo kidney transplant after some time . However , the expense involved in such a transplant is to the tune of Rs. 40,000/- to Rs. 45,000/-, subject to the availibilty of a matching kidney.

This book is dedicated by the author to those who had donated their kidneys to others -- particularly to their near family members and I understand that they have not suffered at all in the matter of vitality, energy, normal way of life or longevity.

I can well understand the hesitation on the part of some people to donate their kidneys and remain dependant for the rest of their lives on the remaining Kidney . Most Of The kidney transplant operations have been eminently successful and there has been no instance on record to show that the Donor's other kidney has failed.

Mr. Jyotindra Mehta has rendered great service by bringing into prominence the names of those donors who have donated their kidneys to their near ones -- all the operations having taken place in India -- except one.

If Mr. Jyotindra Mehta's Book inspires at least a few persons to donate their kidneys, either to their near ones or to others -- and the transplant takes place when the kidneys match, it will have served a most humanitarian cause and rendered yeoman service to those whose kidneys have failed. Incidently, Mr. Jyotindra Mehta himself is one of the recipients of such a kidney and this was given to him by his younger brother -- Mr. Vinod Bhaichand Mehta.

And, out of 54 donations listed, as many as 25 are ladies. What a tribute to Indian Womanhood!

I also observe that Mr. Jyotindra Mehta wrote to over 150 such donors, but replies were received from only 54. All these details figure in this book.

I wish Mr. Jyotindra Mehta's book every possible success. He deserves it fully because this is the first time such a publication has been put forth by an Indian -- and in India.