Ms. Pallavi Kumar was invited as a speaker at the 8th Northeast Patient Safety Conclave, held on December 13, 2025, in Guwahati, Assam. The annual conclave brings together experts from diverse disciplines to deliberate on patient safety challenges and explore pathways to strengthen healthcare practices across the Northeastern region of India. The conclave has evolved into a benchmark platform addressing critical themes such as healthcare leadership, accreditation and grading, digital health, ICU and transplant safety, incident reporting, antibiotic stewardship, and quality culture, among others.
Recognising her extensive experience in organ donation and family counselling, Ms. Kumar was invited to speak on the topic “Grief Counselling and Making the Ask for Organ Donation.”
Ms Pallavi started by saying, “I was pleasantly surprised to be invited to speak on approaching families for organ donation at a patient safety conclave rather than a conference focused solely on organ donation and transplantation. It feels like a deeply encouraging shift—recognising that ethical communication with families should be part of every hospital’s ecosystem and an integral component of compassionate end-of-life care.”
In her address, Ms. Kumar emphasised that conversations around organ donation are never about persuasion, but about understanding families in moments of profound grief. She highlighted the importance of building trust, approaching families with clarity and respect, and beginning discussions from what families already understand. She stressed the need for complete honesty, ethical practice, and the importance of never making promises that cannot be fulfilled.
Ms. Kumar also underscored the critical role of timing in these conversations. When guided by principles of ethical grief counselling and handled with sensitivity, discussions around organ donation can support families through their most difficult moments, while gently opening pathways for life-saving opportunities for others. Her session was well received and resonated strongly with the conclave’s emphasis on patient-centred, ethical, and safe healthcare practices.
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