Fortis Healthcare takes video content route to raise awareness around organ donation

Each year, half-a-million Indians lose their lives while waiting for an organ. That is equal to losing a life every minute. In 2017, only 900+ cadaver donations took place, a number that represents an organ donation rate of 0.86 persons per million individuals.

To drive a systemic change in the perception and the behaviour surrounding organ donation and to increase the number of donation pledge, Fortis has decided to take up the cause in an effort to positively impact the well-being of the nation.

Fortis’s ‘More to Give’ campaign was conceived to prick the nation’s conscience, and in doing so, propagate the philosophy of saving lives and championing the cause of organ donation.

To take this thought forward, Fortis Healthcare has unveiled a new film created by Leo Burnett India and released by Madison World.

This is Fortis Healthcare’s third year of campaigning for organ donation, and its efforts have raised over 100,000 pledges so far. A few years ago, 90% of all organs transplanted came from live donors, while only 10% were from cadavers. In the last few years, however, this ratio has improved to two-thirds and one third, respectively, and is a sign of a slow and steady positive change.

Fortis decided to make the thought of organ donation more appealing by helping cut across barriers and addressing the social, ethical and moral issues around the act. The solution, to motivate people to donate organs, and learn how their families could find happiness after their loved ones had left — was simple. When you donate your organs, you don’t just save lives but live on through them.

Jasrita Dhir

Speaking about the campaign, Jasrita Dhir, Head, Brand, Marketing and CSR, Fortis Healthcare, said, “In a nation of a billion plus individuals, we don’t even have one-per-million donors. While organ donation has the potential to impact half-a-million lives directly and many more indirectly, even a single life saved through this campaign makes it a worthy cause. Through this initiative we get to live the Fortis credo of ‘Saving and Enriching Lives’.”

Amit Nandwani

Amit Nandwani, Executive Creative Director, Leo Burnett India, said, "With most organ donation ads talking about the plight of patients in urgent need of an organ, we wanted to have a larger emotional payoff for the donor in our communication. So, through a simple human story, we tried to portray how an emotional bond can be formed between the donor's family and the recipient, and how donors can continue to live on in others even after they are gone."

The Video: