Howrah recipient's kin pledge organ donation

KOLKATA: The 44-year-old Howrah homemaker, a heart recipient who was earlier admitted twice at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals (AGH) for the transplant surgery, turned lucky at the third attempt on Thursday. Earlier,the surgeries were called off at the last moment after the organs were found to be unfit for transplant. Her family was so touched by the gesture of the donor’s family that they have pledged to donate organs if any brain death happens in their family.
“My sister was yearning for a fresh lease of life.And this young man has gifted her that. This organ donation is such a beautiful gesture. We will not think twice before donating organs if any brain death happens in our family,” said the heart recipient’s elder brother.
Suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy since 2015, the 44-year-old had to be hospitalised on a number of occasions. The last time she was wheeled into the OT for was on September 30. The surgery was called off asthe donor’s organ was not fit for transplant. Prior to this, she was supposed to get an organ from a donor in Hyderabad, but that too was found to be unfit.
Donor Amit Mukherjee’s (22) heart, liver and two kidneys were retrieved and transplanted through surgeries that started late on Thursday night and continued till Friday early morning in two different hospitals. While Apollo was allowed to retain the heart, liver and one kidney, the other kidney was transplanted on a young male patient at SSKM Hospital. Doctors said all patients are recovering well.
“This youth, whom we don’t even know, has given new life to four persons, including my brother,” said Biswanath Hela, the liver recipient’s brother.
“My father had been on dialysis for over two years. Now this noble gestureby thedonor’s family will hopefully ease his pain,” said Ghanashyam Yadav, the 58-year-old kidney recipient’s son. “Organ donation and transplants in Bengal have received a major boost from the state and Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation,” said Rana Dasgupta, CEO, Apollo Gleneagles Hospital. This was Apollo’s maiden heart transplant surgery.