Organ donation: In death, Kaithal lad Shubham gives new lease of life to 5 patients

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 12

Courageous decision of Shubham’s family to donate his organs has sparked hope for five individuals who underwent transplant of liver, pancreas, kidneys and corneas of the deceased. Four surgeries were held at the PGI and one at ILBS, New Delhi.

Prof Vivek Lal, Director of PGI, expressed his admiration for Shubham’s family, stating, “Families like Shubham’s inspire confidence in the Cadaver Organ Donation Programme. Their selfless act is a gift of life for recipients and a testament to the compassion and resilience of the human spirit.”

The tragedy struck on May 7, when Shubham, a promising 24-year-old student from Patti Afgan village, Kaithal district, Haryana, was fatally injured in an accident. Despite efforts at Kalpana Chawla Hospital, Karnal, he was shifted to the PGI on May 8.

He was declared brain dead next day after two meetings of the Brain Death Certification Committee.

After the declaration of the brain death of Shubham, the transplant coordinators approached the family to consider the option of organ donation. Despite their profound grief, Shubham’s family embraced the opportunity to give others a second chance at life. His father, Wazeer Singh, remarked, “Shubham was inherently kind and giving. There was always something special on his face and in his eyes as he would tell us of his experience of helping someone. We knew little about organ donation, but the possibility of saving lives gave us solace. The only thought in our minds was that our decision may turn lucky for someone else and they get more time to spend with their dear ones.”

Prof Vipin Koushal, Medical Superintendent, PGI, said, “As the cross-matching indicated no recipient for liver in the PGI, we got in touch with other hospitals and finally, it was allocated to 34-year-old female admitted to the ILBS, New Delhi.”

A green corridor was created till the international airport in Mohali to provide a safe passage for the transport of the retrieved liver to a flight scheduled for 3:50 pm to Delhi on May 10.

The beneficiaries include a kidney patient (39), 34-year-old man with Type 1 diabetes, who underwent simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant; and two corneal blind patients who received Shubham’s corneas.

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