Former headteacher backs organ donation in Pakistani community (From Watford Observer)

Former headteacher backs organ donation in Watford's Pakistani community

5:00pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News By Adam Binnie, Senior Reporter

A former Watford headteacher is leading a campaign to educate the town’s Pakistani community about organ donation.

Meena Modi, who was the headteacher of Chater Infants, is a guest speaker at an awareness event next week.

Mrs Modi, who received an OBE for her work with the Pakistani community, said: "The data analysis shows very clearly that people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds have a poor record of organ donation whilst the need for organs is greater in the same group.

"I donated a kidney to my husband more than ten years ago and know first-hand the difference it made to his life and my whole family benefitted from a stable home.

"We have had a couple of very successful campaigns with the Hindu community and now hope to work with the Pakistani community in Watford."

The meeting, entitled "Raising awareness of Kidney Donation and Transplantation within the Pakistani Communities of Watford" will take place on Monday March 18, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm at the North Jamia Watford Mosque in North Western Avenue.

Topics will include the reasons for high level of need for kidneys within the Pakistani communities, and the reasons for low levels of kidney donation.

As well as Mrs Modi, guest speakers include Dr Adnan Sharif, a kidney specialist from Birmingham Hospital, and Dr Majid Mukadam, transplant surgeon at Birmingham Hospital.

For more information contact Victoria Wilson, patient services coordinator, at the patient and public involvement department, admin block, Watford General Hospital, Vicarage Road.

You can email victoria.wilson@whht.nhs.uk or telephone 01923 217358.