In death, 65-yr-old woman gives new lease of life to two

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, October 15 

It was 36th case of organ donation at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) this year as compared to 27 in 2016 when Rajinder Kumar of Patiala showed courage by consenting for organ donation of his mother Ram Pyari. She saved two critical patients. 

The donor family deserved the highest level of respect for their spirit of unconditional love, braving their own pain, said Vipin Koushal, nodal officer for organ transplantation, PGIMER. 

Ram Pyari, 65, a native of Nabha, Patiala, was injured when she was hit by a two-wheeler on October 11 after which she was rushed to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, and then to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, Chandigarh. She was referred to the PGIMER and the family lost no time and got her admitted there the same day.

However, efforts of the family and the doctors attending to Ram Pyari could not ensure Ram her recovery. She was re-evaluated and declared brain dead as per the protocols on October 14. 

Subsequently, the family was sensitised to organ donation by the transplant coordinators at PGIMER.

Himself a regular blood donor and an active social worker, Rajinder Kumar consented to donate organs of his mother, said a PGIMER spokesperson.

Expressing his sentiments, Rajinder Kumar said, “It is my mother’s chance to live through others. With organ donation, at least we will be able to save the families of donees the pain and trauma that we are going through. In fact, it is the selfless sacrifice taught by my mother that made us go ahead with this difficult decision.”

“Since the donor’s son Rajinder Kumar was socially oriented and his ‘spirit of giving’ very high for his commitment to social causes, it was not difficult to convince him for organ donation even as he himself faced a tragedy,” shared Navdeep Bansal, transplant coordinator at PGIMER. 

Following the consent, the organ retrieval happened. Donor Ram Pyari’s kidneys were transplanted to critical patients suffering from debilitating kidney ailment, thereby giving them a second chance to live.

“It seems that this Diwali, Lord Rama came to our rescue in the form of the donor. We have no words to convey our gratitude to her family for giving my father a second life,” said the daughter of one of the recipients with her eyes welled up.

The other kidney recipient expressed similar sentiments: “I can’t thank the donor family enough. The decision of strangers, who only wanted to help others, gave me a new lease of life. I can’t believe my luck.”

It was a sight of mixed emotions at the PGI today. Amidst the celebration of life, the true heroes were the aggrieved.