Manipal Hospitals Partners with Gift of Life Adventure Foundation for Organ Donation Awareness

Team Udayavani, Jun 21, 2024, 12:27 PM IST

Bengaluru: Manipal Hospitals announces its significant collaboration with Anil Srivastsa, Founder of Gift of Life Adventure (GOLA) Foundation, in an ambitious effort to raise global awareness for organ donation. This partnership supports Anil’s monumental year-long journey as an Indian Athlete to the World Transplant Games 2025 in Germany which will commence in July 2024, during Organ Donation Month in Bengaluru. The route will culminate in Dresden, Germany on August 10th, 2025, marking the 100th country visited by Anil by road on this life-changing mission.

Anil Srivastsa, a native of Bangalore and esteemed life coach, commenced his journey advocating for organ donation nearly a decade ago following a transformative incident. In 2014, Anil’s brother, Dr. Arjun Srivats required a life-saving transplant due to severe renal failure. In a remarkable act of courage and love, Anil donated one of his kidneys and underwent surgery at Manipal Hospitals in Yeshwantpur. This act highlighted the prevalent misconceptions and reluctance surrounding organ donation within India. Since that pivotal moment, Anil has dedicated himself to dispelling myths and promoting the noble act of organ donation.

On this occasion, Dr Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Hospitals, said, “Anil Srivastsa’s advocacy and dedication to organ donation have not only transformed lives but also spurred and inspired a global movement within Rotary clubs. His efforts have significantly contributed to changing perceptions and policies, demonstrating the profound impact one individual’s commitment can have on a worldwide scale. Manipal Hospitals is proud to play a pivotal role in this initiative, reinforcing its commitment to healthcare innovation and community welfare. ”

Anil’s act of selflessness inspired him to become the first athlete to traverse over 40,000 miles across 17 countries to compete for India at the World Transplant Games 2023 in Perth, Australia. He earned two gold medals and also set a world record in the cricket ball throw event in 2019. Continuing his momentum, he achieved further accolades at the 2023 Games, solidifying his pioneering role in advocating for organ donation.

On this occasion, Mr. Anil Srivastsa, Founder, Gift of Life Adventure (GOLA) Foundation said, “My journey in organ donation advocacy has been driven by a deep desire to save lives and dispel myths. The global response and the tangible impact on countless lives reaffirm my belief in the power of collective effort and humanitarian responsibility through love and compassion. All my foundation’s activities are geared towards this end through projects involving awareness, advocacy and philanthropy. I am grateful for the support of many individuals and corporate sponsors including Manipal Hospitals, for their continued commitment to the cause”

Anil has driven across 58 countries so far on this mission before setting off on this one, telling his story in over 1000 talks to over 300,000 people. He is now on his final journey around 40+ countries in Africa, Europe, North America, & Asia to bring Rotary Clubs together for the cause of promoting organ donation & the LIFT UP (Life Increasing Funded Transplants for the Underprivileged) Project.

The LIFT UP Project, launched by Manipal Hospital Hebbal and The Rotary Club of Organ Donation (founded by Anil), is the first Rotary Club in the world dedicated to organ donation with a first time ever grant from The Rotary Foundation. It aims to offer essential kidney transplants to economically disadvantaged women or children kidney recipients. These procedures and post-transplant care will take place at Manipal Hospitals, Hebbal, Bengaluru where a specialized team of doctors will handle medical evaluations for transplant eligibility, while a dedicated committee from the host club will oversee financial assessments.

About Manipal Hospitals:

As a pioneer in healthcare, Manipal Hospitals is among the top healthcare providers in India serving over 7 million patients annually. Its focus is to develop an affordable, high quality healthcare framework through its multispecialty and tertiary care delivery spectrum and further extend it to out of hospital care. With the completion of acquisition of Medica Synergie hospitals and AMRI Hospitals Limited (acquired in Sept 2023), the integrated network today has a pan-India footprint of 33 hospitals across 17 cities with 9,500+ beds, and a talented pool of 5,000+ doctors and an employee strength of over 15,000.

Manipal Hospitals provides comprehensive curative and preventive care for a multitude of patients from around the globe. Manipal Hospitals is NABH, AAHRPP accredited and most of the hospitals in its network are NABL, ER, Blood Bank accredited and recognized for Nursing Excellence. Manipal Hospitals has also been recognised the most respected and patient recommended hospital in India through various consumer surveys.