About Amar Karma
Amar Karma Organ Donation Society is Canada's first South Asian non-profit organization that has pledged to create awareness in imperative need of organ donation to ensure that organs for transplant will be available to those who are on the waiting list to receive a call from 'life'.
After extensive research about a shortage of organs and tissue for transplant, Amar Karma Organ Donation Society was founded in 2008 by Loveen Gill to raise awareness about the critical need to be registered donors mainly among South Asian Community, now extended to different communities.
Meaning of Amar Karma:
Amar means Eternal, and Karma stands for “Deeds or actions”
Loveen Gill sought this name to be extremely powerful to resonate with the minds of the community for their firm belief in Karma, and organ donation being an action that leaves footprints even after we pass on- A deed that lives on even after death.
The group that started with one pioneer member now consists of hundreds of volunteers who have joined the convoy to be part of the Karma that speaks to entire humanity.
The Operation of Karma Team:
Amar Karma Organ Donation Society has been in operation since January 2011. The volunteers have reached out to thousands of people to educate them about organ donation by organizing seminars, walks, setting up booths at different community settings, by involving seniors, students from universities and colleges and also with engagement from politicians and media.
Annual ‘Give a Heart’ Initiative-Through these years, Team Karma has set milestones by involving youth to give new dimension to days like Valentine’s Day with celebrations of our annual gala “Give a Heart”. Amar Karma’s giving of heart stands for expression of love for humanity by being registered organ & tissue donors, Cord Blood Donors, Blood Donors, and Hair Donors, or in other words, by spreading a message of compassion. The legacy of “Give a Heart “initiated by the Karma team has spread its echo to the masses on social media making it a movement that speaks to the families at large. On the evening of Give a heart event, many couples and youngsters come out to register to be donors and to learn about other associate organizations that we work closely with.
“Santa, Give me a Gift of Life” is another one of these events where Amar Karma participates in Santa Clauses Parade to stand beside the children who are on the waiting list for organs.
The team has held one event each month on an average to engage the community to the cause.
Amar Karma Health & Wellness Network(2016)
We’re a non-profit network, well-connected within the South Asian Community to raise awareness about important subjects that aid in promoting health and wellness in the community. As Canada’s first South Asian Organization in creating impactful buzz about organ/tissue donation in the past several years, we have now taken upon more aspects of health and wellness to spread the word about, on behalf of mainstream organizations, so that their message can reach the grassroots. That way, the members of our community can make collective efforts in contributing to a healthy society.
Our mandate is:
1. To improve the rate of organ and tissue donation by educating public about the importance of registering as an organ/tissue donor and sharing with family members and by distributing information in a variety of languages about how/why to become a donor.
2. To Educate public about health, Ontario health care systems, dealing with cultural taboos with respect to health and health care, common infectious diseases and the prevention thereof, importance of organ and tissue donation, blood donation, umbilical cord blood donation, hair donation, physical & mental disabilities and overcoming stigma associated therewith, nutrition, exercise and maintenance of good heath by organizing seminars, workshops, by producing and exhibiting educational theatrical productions and by collecting and disseminating information on those subjects.
3. To assist individuals with disabilities by offering education and counseling and by directing them to recommended support groups operating in their language of choice.
