You are a part of me

The opportunity to give your loved one the gift of life rarely presents itself and when it does, family members are often the first ones to step up to save their loved ones’ lives. On Valentine’s Day today, we bring to you heartwarming stories of individuals, who gifted a part of themselves to the person who means the world to them, proving how love can overcome anything.

Sanjeev, 38, and Anju Meena, 36, from Ghaziabad got married in 2010. Anju, who had her son in 2013, suffered complications and had to undergo a premature delivery in the seventh month due to high blood pressure. “After a few years of my son’s birth, my BP problems intensified and both of my kidneys were 40% damaged. A kidney transplant was the only way to save my life. Our doctor told us to find a donor within a week. It was my husband who decided to donate one of his kidneys. I experienced real love in the ICU during my surgery and can proudly say that there is no greater example of love than what my husband did for me,” says Anju.

Hage Ansun, 46, came to Delhi last year from Arunachal Pradesh for a liver transplant. “I was taken to the ICU and regained consciousness only after 50 days and I learnt that my husband had donated a part of his liver to me. My husband, Kago Robu made me reclaim my life. We have been married for 21 years. He doesn’t speak much but conveys his love for me in these unimaginable ways,” says Ansun.

“What can be a more beautiful affirmation and expression of one’s love and commitment than donating a kidney or a part of a liver for someone you love? It connects two individuals on a spiritual level,” Dr Anupam sibal, Group medical director, Apollo Hospitals

Meenakshi Suryawanshi, 44, a yoga instructor from Nasik also saved her brother’s life by donating him her kidney, setting an example of unconditional sibling love. She recounts how after the demise of her husband in 2015, she moved in with her brother and donated her kidney to her elder brother, Sachin Khairnar, who supported her through thick and thin. Seeing him suffer through the trauma of dialysis pained her a lot and she gave him the gift of her kidney. “It’s been eight months since the surgery and I feel perfectly normal. I have started conducting yoga classes again,” says Suryawanshi.

A parent’s love for their child is also immeasurable. Filipino national George B De Guzman came to India for a liver transplant for his four-month-old son Genesis in 2017. “I did what every parent would do for their child,” says Guzman, whose child is doing well after the successful transplant.

Dr Neerav Goyal, liver transplant surgeon, Apollo Hospitals says there is no bigger ‘daan’ than the gift of life to a loved one. “More than 20,000 liver transplants are required per year in the country, but not even 10% of this number is accomplished each year,” says Dr Goyal.

Dr Sandeep Guleria, kidney transplant surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, agrees. “I believe that giving a part of yourself to someone else is the biggest form of love,” he says. Shedding myths related to the procedure, he says, “Doctors take zero risks. If your tests come normal then there’s no issue in donating a kidney.”