Baby Aum was born very poorly and came to Acorns in Birmingham in January, 2016. Sadly, after five precious days with his parents Vikas and Reena, and big sisters Diya and Nitya, Aum passed away.
To mark Aum’s 7th birthday (4th January 2023), Dad Vikas remembers his son’s life and how an internationally recognised award now honours the impact Aum had.
Today is our Son Aum’s 7th Anniversary. We grieve for Aum, for all the shattered hopes and dreams and the place our son would have had within the family.
There is a feeling of real emptiness, a sense of something being incomplete. As difficult as today is, I would like to share that we have been by invitation offered to receive the Order of St John on behalf of our son Aum Jain, who donated two of his heart valves after his passing. These have been successfully transplanted into two recipients, a 12-day-old baby boy and a six-week old baby boy, saving both their lives.
This is a really humbling moment for Reena and I, as the The Order of St John (OSJ) is an order of chivalry of the British Crown and an international humanitarian charity, most known for their St John Ambulance Service.
The OSJ award not only honours Aum for his priceless gift of tissue donation, but it also raises awareness of the successes of organ and tissue donation and I hope will inspire other families regardless of faith or background to follow in Aum’s footsteps.
The depth of emotion Reena, Aum’s sisters and I feel right now cannot be described. All I will say is perhaps our son, in the five days of his life has achieved more than I will in my entire lifetime. His enormous contribution has saved the lives of others. He is our real-life superhero.
To read Aum’s story visit www.acorns.org.uk/aum.
