17-year-old in Pune donates brain-dead mother’s organs, saves five lives

A teenager’s decision to donate the organs of his brain-dead mother has saved the lives of five patients. The 17-year-old resident of Pune agreed to organ donation after he was counselled by the hospital authorities about its benefits.

The 38-year-old patient from Karvenagar was admitted to Columbia Asia Hospital in Pune’s Kharadi after she suffered severe brain haemorrhage and was declared brain dead on Friday (December 14).

Arati Gokhale, central coordinator of zonal transplant coordination committee (ZTCC), Pune region, said, “It was the hospital’s first organ donation. After the donor was declared brain-dead, we counselled her 17-year-old son about the benefits of organ donation and saving the lives of others. The youngster in turn agreed to donate the organs of his mother.”

Columbia hospital and ZTCC coordinated with other hospitals and retrieved five organs and donated to hospitals located in Pune and Nasik.

The patient’s liver was donated to recipient in KEM Hospital, heart to a recipient in Ruby Hall Hospital, one kidney to a recipient in Wockhardt Hospital (Nashik), the second kidney to a recipient in Command Hospital Pune, and cornea to HV Desai Hospital, Hadapsar. A green corridor was created to transport organs from Columbia Asia Hospital to city hospitals and Nashik.

Dr Viju Rajan, general manager, Columbia Asia Hospital , said, “As a special tribute, our team lined up to perform the walk of respect and gave the organ donor guard of honour. It was the brave heart son who decided to let his mother live through this act.”