Wed Sep 10 10:36:24 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article:

**Summary:**

The article reports on the increasing, though still nascent, trend of skin and bone donations from deceased donors in Tamil Nadu, India. Data from the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (Transtan) show a rise in donations from 2022 to 2025. Medical professionals emphasize the critical need for greater public awareness, particularly to dispel fears of disfigurement associated with bone donation. Donated skin is vital for burn victims, acting as a temporary dressing, while donated bones are used to reconstruct defects caused by trauma, cancer, or congenital issues. Transtan stresses the importance of educating both the public and medical professionals to further increase donation rates.

**News Article:**

**Tamil Nadu Sees Gradual Rise in Skin and Bone Donations, More Awareness Needed**

**CHENNAI, September 10, 2025** – Skin and bone donations from deceased individuals are slowly but surely gaining traction in Tamil Nadu, according to data released by the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (Transtan). While the numbers indicate a positive trend, health officials are emphasizing the crucial need for continued public awareness campaigns to further boost donation rates.

Transtan’s data reveals a steady increase in both skin and bone donations over the past three years. Skin donations rose from 16 in 2022 to 77 in 2024, with 36 donations recorded so far in 2025. Bone donations followed a similar pattern, climbing from 50 in 2022 to 111 in 2024, with 80 donations registered in 2025 to date.

“Skin is beneficial for patients who suffer massive burns, which is why we are encouraging donations”, said P. Nellaiappar, retired professor and head, Department of Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital.

Experts highlight the vital role donated skin plays in treating burn victims, acting as a temporary dressing that is significantly more effective than artificial alternatives. Similarly, donated bones are used to treat a range of conditions, including bone loss due to trauma, cancer, and congenital defects.

One key hurdle to increasing donation rates, particularly for bone donations, is the fear of disfigurement among grieving families. However, medical professionals stress that retrieved bone segments are replaced with locally available materials to restore the body’s natural shape.

“People are more aware of bone donations now, and the acceptance has also improved,” B. Pasupathy, professor of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, said.

N. Gopalakrishnan, member secretary of Transtan, emphasized the importance of sensitizing all stakeholders, including medical professionals, to the importance of skin and bone donations. “We must be able to clearly explain to families/relatives of patients (who were declared brain dead) and dispel myths surrounding skin and bone donations such as disfigurement,” he stated. “The acceptance rate for skin and bone donations is increasing, and there is still great potential to be explored.”

The data suggests that increased awareness efforts are beginning to bear fruit, and health officials are optimistic that continued education will lead to even greater acceptance and donation rates in the years to come, ultimately benefiting patients in need of life-saving or life-improving transplants.

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