Brain-dead Hamirpur man’s organs give fresh lease of life to 5 people

On Saturday, he was declared brain-dead by the doctors. “I was thinking if we could save someone else from going through this, then let’s do it,” said Anoop Chand, father of Varun.

Dr Vipin Koushal, nodal officer, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), PGI, stated that after no match was found for liver recipient at PGIMER, they immediately got in touch with NOTTO (National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation) to explore options. “Finally, the liver was allocated by NOTTO to ILBS, New Delhi. The liver was transported to Delhi and subsequently, the transplantation of liver into the matching recipient was initiated in ILBS, New Delhi, on Sunday morning,” he said.

The retrieved kidneys were transplanted into two patients here in PGIMER, thereby giving them a second lease of life and ending their losing battle for survival. The retrieved corneas will enable two more people to have their sight restored, said Dr Koushal.

“It is an extremely hard decision amid immense grief for the donor family, but families like that of Varun definitely instil a sense of confidence and a ray of hope. It is through their generous gifts that hundreds of people each year are given a second chance at life,” said Prof Jagat Ram, PGI director.