Five cadaver donors give new lease of life to 13 in three days

MUMBAI: Thirteen organ failure patients got a new lease of life as the city, in a record of sorts, witnessed five cadaver donations in three days. Three of the donations took place on the same day, where one of the donors was an 80-year-old woman.
The Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee (ZTCC), which oversees organ distribution in the city, said the tally so far this year has already reached 10, which was the count by the end of February 2015.In the last three days, six kidneys, two hearts and five livers have been transplanted.
Octogenarian Ramilaben Shah from Vile Parle became the second oldest in the city to ever donate organs. Her liver was transplanted to a 58-year-old man at Global Hospital in Parel. Shah was brought to Nanavati Hospital earlier this week with cerebral bleed but her condition did not improve. The oldest to donate organs in Mumbai was an 84-year-old woman in 2012.
Even as the Shah family was being counselled to donate the organs of their matriarch on Thursday, another woman with a history of cerebral haemorrhage was declared brain dead. She was the 52-year-old wife of police constable Nandakumar Naik, who readily agreed to donate when told his wife's liver could save a life. It was transplanted into a 39-year-old male at Fortis Hospital, Mulund.
"We got livers from both donors. The organs were harvested simultaneously in adjoining operation theatres and shared with Global and Fortis hospitals. It is a sign of growing awareness that both families were extremely forthcoming when our transplant coordinator approached them," said Dr Rajendra Patankar, COO, Nanavati Hospital. Their kidneys were not found fit for transplant.
On the outskirts of the city a family residing in Panvel had also taken the decision to donate the organs of their loved one. Gangadhar Swain (38) was hit by a truck while he was riding his two-wheeler. He was shifted to MGM Hospital in Vashi with a severe head injury. He never regained his senses and was eventually declared brain dead on February 11. The household goods vendor hailed from Bhubaneswar and is survived by his wife and two children.
"The donor's wife Manorama (34) and his brother, despite having little knowledge about cadaver donation, responded positively and took the bold decision to donate his heart, liver, kidneys and corneas. Single-handedly, he has changed six lives," said P K Sashanker, administrator, MGM Hospital. His liver was given to a 50-year-old woman, while his kidneys were transplanted to a 38-year-old male and a 25-year-old female at MGM and Nair hospitals. The heart was given to a 36-year-old man from Lonavla, who was suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy.