According to the report of Khabaronline news agency from the public relations of the Center for the Development of Documentary, Experimental and Animated Cinema, on the second day of the International Cinema Verity Festival, a specialized panel answered The challenges of organ donation in documentary cinema and the explanation of the memorandum of understanding for documentary film production with the participation of “Center for the Development of Documentary, Experimental and Animation Cinema” and “Organ Donation Association” Iranians”, was held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 19th, in Hall No. 4 of Charso Cinema Campus.
In this specialized panel, figures such as Ketayoun Najafizadeh, CEO of Organ Donation Association, Omid Qobadi, Vice Chairman of Organ Donation Association, Mohammad Mahdavi, Children’s Heart Transplant Specialist, Kurosh Eslami, Cultural Vice President of Organ Donation Association, Farhad Toheidi , screenwriter and a group of Iranian cinema documentaries were present.
Active people in the field of organ donation turn to art
At the beginning of this meeting, after playing the national anthem and reciting verses from the Holy Quran, Katayoun Najafizadeh, CEO of the Iranian Organ Donation Association, came on stage and said: I entered the organ donation system because I could not find donors for my patients’ lung transplants. The work in this space is very influential and stimulates human emotions in such a way that many people active in this field turn to art and become poets, writers, painters or designers.
Narrating the memory of the process of donating an organ to a boy, Najafizadeh emphasized the importance of correctly understanding the concept of organ donation and said: To promote this culture, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Center for the Development of Documentary, Experimental and Animated Cinema and the Iranian Organ Donation Association, which is one of the Its clauses are holding joint meetings.
Najafizadeh went on to explain how brain death occurs and how it differs from “coma” and said: In order to transplant an organ, it is necessary to be cultured in advance. 99% of deaths are associated with cardiac arrest, but only 1% of deaths are due to brain death. In my opinion, these people find success in helping others.
Iran’s first rank in Asia / 31st rank in the world
Pointing out that most brain deaths occur due to road accidents and between the ages of 20 and 40, he added: Imam Khomeini (RA) issued a fatwa for organ transplantation and considered it correct. Iran ranks first in Asia in the organ donation process, but ranks 31st in the world.
Najafizadeh continued: About 5,000 to 8,000 brain deaths occur in the country every year, half of which have organs that can be donated. However, only about 1,000 of these organs are donated. Meanwhile, about 85,000 patients are waiting for an organ transplant, and every day 7 to 10 of them die before their turn arrives; While the healthy organs of people who are brain-dead become dust.
Production of documentary and experimental works with a focus on culture for organ donation
He said: In Iran, the cost of organ transplantation is borne by the government, and brain dead patients can be cared for for up to two weeks. Our goal is to portray the situation of needy patients and donor families, examine the challenges and infrastructure related to organ donation, and produce documentary and experimental works focusing on culture building in this field. Increasing the number of organ donation can lead to the saving of more lives and lead the society towards empathy and philanthropy.
After this speech, a clip of the ceremony honoring the organ donor families was played. Then Amirhafez, the baby who was given an organ in that clip and now three years have passed since that video, was invited to the stage.
In the path of organ donation, no one is superior to the other
Later, Dr. Mahdavi, the doctor responsible for Amir Hafez’s heart transplant, said about this experience: Amir Hafez’s transplant was one of the special transplants. The heart of a brain-dead child was transported by jet from Bandar Abbas to Tehran. There is only 180 minutes for a heart transplant, and doing it was a big and difficult task. In the path of organ donation, no one is superior to the other and every person who tries in any way in this way is a life saver.
Amir Hafez’s mother said: “Dr. Mahdavi was a father to all transplanted children, and he is the most honorable doctor I have seen in my entire life.” On behalf of all transplant families, I thank you.
I decided to make a documentary to defend my family
Next, Mr. Qorbi, one of the organ donor families, came on stage and said: “My job is not to make a documentary, but after donating my son’s organs, there were some issues that I decided to make a documentary to defend my family.” My son had an organ donation card and worked as a volunteer in the Red Crescent for about eight years. I emphasize that having an organ donation card is very important, because this card gives reassurance to survivors and helps them make decisions.
Ms. Qorbi also added: “I am proud to have donated my son’s organs.” I hope that his body will be filled with light and happiness.
Then, the expert panel on answering the challenges of organ donation was held in the documentary cinema with the presence of Katayoun Najafizadeh, Mohammad Mahdavi, Farhad Toheidi, Ard Attarpour and Nasrallah Madqalchi.
Arde Attarpour, a documentary maker, said: I am happy to be present in this panel and witness the presence of the families of donors who gave life to others with their sacrifice. I worked as a producer on a documentary series about heart transplants many years ago. Mehdi Chakhmakhi was the director of this documentary and we were able to film one of the first heart transplants in Iran at Shariati Hospital. Dr. Mandage used to do this with the late Dr. Salmanzadeh. At that time, the names of people on the transplant waiting list were written in a book, and if someone died before a transplant, a large cross was put over their name. In those days, organ transplantation was not yet an accepted topic. When the patient’s bed was taken to the operating room, anxiety filled the whole space.
He continued: One of the bitter memories of that period was related to a seventeen-year-old teenager who was also a transplant candidate. As the recipient and donor were taken to the operating room, our camera focused on the teenager, who unfortunately died three months later. This story is still very moving and moving for me. Finally, among the three transplant candidates, one was selected and successfully performed the transplant.
We need to know more about organ donors
Farhad Tawhidi, the head of the screenwriting center of the association, said: I was like many people who do not know much about this field and even have a misunderstanding about it. This forum was a new one in the early 1390s and when I came across the stories of the forum, I experienced a strange situation and was very upset. It’s as if we want to find general expectations from different things and label people. This misunderstanding also happens about doctors and we need to know more about these people.
Farhad Tawhidi, the head of the screenwriting center of the association, said: I was like many people who do not have much information in this field and may even have a misunderstanding about it. This forum was a new one in the early nineties, and when I came across the stories of the forum, I experienced strange feelings and was very disappointed. It is as if we are looking for general expectations of different things and label people. There is also this misunderstanding about doctors and we need to know more about these people. Our role as filmmakers in this awareness is very important because it can be destructive or constructive.
Drama’s greatest responsibility is to create emotion
He continued: The greatest responsibility of drama is to create emotion, and in my opinion, the work of these loved ones is full of emotion. What is important is to approach the subject correctly and face it correctly. In the matter of organ donation, there is no party game or table because the coordinates of the donor and the recipient must match, and it is not like a transplant without refinement.
In response to the question of how many years a transplant patient lives, Dr. Mahdavi recited a poem: “I am alive when someone falls in love with my heart.” A transplant patient is transplanted to enjoy his life. They must come back to life. The quality of life is important to us, not its quantity. In addition, with the development of science, the average life expectancy of loved ones has increased. I believe that a heart that can live twice on earth is very kind, and the essence of our mission is to increase the life expectancy of transplanted loved ones.
Nasrullah Madqal Chi, head of the announcers committee, said: I have entered my 63rd year of work and I have never felt more satisfied than in the last four years when I became a member of the association. As long as I have breath, I will try for organ transplantation.
Najafizadeh said: Patients who need organ transplants are registered in the system in advance and the organ donation process is planned in a written way. If screenplays are submitted to our community by directors and screenwriters, we will identify potential flaws in the screenplay on organ donation and help produce a film that raises awareness.
Attarpour said: I would like to mention Hossein Asgari during the heart operation of Majid Baghtail, who performed the first heart transplant in Iran by Dr. Mandagh. He also went under the razor blade and was interested in the art of animation. At that time, an animation written by me called “God Loves Storks” was being produced, and he was in charge of coloring it. Until four years later, his kind heart stopped as a result of separating people in a street fight! He told me in the hospital that I was supposed to die four years ago, but now I lived four more years.
Then, the text of the memorandum of understanding between the Center for the Development of Documentary, Experimental and Animation Cinema with the Iranian Organ Donation Association was read and the questions of the attendees were answered.
Mrs. Sephehi, a documentary maker, who is making a documentary about organ donation, said: I went to Shahid Rajaei Hospital in June and met Dr. Mahdavi. The moment I entered the hospital, I was emotionally upset; A space where everyone was waiting for their turn for a heart transplant. With Dr. Mahdavi’s consultation, we chose a child as a subject who was supposed to go to the operating room three days later. But unfortunately, his heart stopped before the operation and the transplant was not done. This was very painful. I think we need to talk more about these issues.
Dr. Ghobadi further said: Life is a short-term and transitory matter. One day we will wake up and resume the life of thousands of years. During this time, we should be careful to give and receive love and be helpful. I thank Ehsan Safajo for all his efforts. In this way, he worked hard for this agreement to come to fruition.
At the end of the ceremony, Ehsan Safajo put an ambassador’s shawl on the neck of the panel speakers.
The Iranian Organ Donation Association is a non-profit organization that has been operating since 2014 with the aim of saving the lives of patients in need of transplants by promoting the culture of organ donation. This association is trying to turn Iran into a reliable scientific reference in this field by providing specialized training for coordinators, supporting research and donor families, and optimizing the process of identifying and providing organs for brain dead people. The ultimate goal of this association is to eliminate the waiting list of needy patients and optimal use of donated organs.
The 18th International Festival of Iranian Documentary Film Festival “Cinema-Ghekrit” under the direction of Mohammad Hamidi Moghadam continues until December 25.
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