A Life Full of Love and Purpose
For Imran Amjad, the memories of his daughter Uqasha Imran are filled with the vibrant energy of a young woman whose life was tragically cut short. “She was a picture of loving, caring, giving — an absolute package of that,” he shared. However, what many people may not know is the profound impact she had on the lives of many young Canberrans through sports.
Uqasha was deeply involved in mentoring and training younger athletes, making sports a central part of her life. Her passion for martial arts, particularly Taekwondo, was evident as she trained for her third-degree black belt at the time of her accident. She had completed her training just weeks before the incident, which left her with catastrophic injuries after a bus failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into her while she was riding a motorcycle.
After three days in the hospital, Uqasha succumbed to a traumatic brain injury, and the bus driver later pleaded guilty to negligent driving causing death. Outside court, Mr. Amjad expressed the deep void her absence has left in their family life, stating, “The void in our family life will never be filled.”
Honoring a Legacy
In the wake of Uqasha’s passing, her family channeled their grief into honoring her wishes. She had made it clear about what she wanted to happen if she were to pass away, despite her young age. One of her final wishes was to donate her organs, a decision that brought comfort to her family during their time of sorrow.
“She had spoken to us literally a few days before that because we were planning on taking a trip and she said she wanted to sort out things,” Mr. Amjad recalled. “We were already in the process. Life didn’t give her, or the death didn’t give her, the opportunity, but the intention was there, so we carried her wishes forward.”
When her wish was fulfilled three days after the crash, it gave the family courage, knowing that she had fought to help four more lives. This act of generosity inspired those around them to carry forward the hope that Uqasha embodied.
The Uqasha Imran Foundation
This weekend, the family launched the Uqasha Imran Foundation, aiming to help young people access sports by removing financial and logistical barriers. “I’m very, very proud of the Canberran community who have come around us to make this a possibility,” Mr. Amjad said.
The foundation is not limited to martial arts but encompasses any sport, with the goal of supporting young athletes regardless of their circumstances. “We certainly have already helped five students in different aspects of their training, mentorship, and attending competitions,” he added. “It was great to see a couple of these kids coming back and saying, ‘look at this, I have achieved this medal and this is because you helped us.’”
Mr. Amjad hopes the foundation will expand beyond the Canberra region, envisioning a future where its impact can reach even more young people.
Raising Awareness of Organ Donation
Another key goal of the family is to raise awareness about organ donation. Mr. Amjad highlighted that Australia lags behind in registered organ donors, emphasizing the importance of having one’s intentions known. “Please have your intention known, have your heart open for generosity to help a number of other lives,” he urged.
Jean-Christophe Chatelin, a DonateLife ACT donation specialist nursing coordinator, noted that while most Australians support organ donation, the registration rate does not always reflect this. “Most Australians are supportive of organ donation but unfortunately, sometimes it doesn’t translate within the registration rate,” he explained. “Sometimes people will talk to their families and mention that they would like to become an organ donor if they had the opportunity, but it doesn’t mean that they have registered their wish or the decision.”
Support and resources are available at hospitals in Canberra for those considering organ donation for a loved one, including interpreters for non-English speakers. “In the hospital, for example, we can involve the representatives of the different faiths if the family wish to,” Mr. Chatelin said.
The Beauty of Organ Donation
The family has since learned more about Uqasha’s generosity in her death. “The beauty of organ donation is when a couple of months ago we received a letter from one of the recipients,” Mr. Amjad shared. “Knowing how well they are moving on with their life, the things they are doing now, they couldn’t do it before.”
Although legal barriers prevent direct communication with recipients, the stories they receive are a source of comfort and inspiration. “Getting those stories back and being able to, obviously with legal barriers around it, to communicate with those recipients back and forth, it is amazing. It’s like I’m still talking to my Uqasha.”
