It’s not cards or gifts, they share kidneys with beloved

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, February 14

On Valentine’s Day when people generally exchange cards or gifts, a few couples on Thursday exchanged love vows after they saved lives of their better halves by donating kidney.

An event was today organised by SPS Hospital to celebrate love with these couples on Valentine’s Day.

Among the couples present at the event, one of the partners had donated a vital organ such as a kidney to their spouse. They came together to raise a toast to their partner’s ‘new life’.

Interestingly, all wives had donated kidneys to their husbands who were present at the function.

“Transplant is like rebirth and people who have gone through it owe their lives to their partners. Wives strongly outnumber husbands as donors and are the first to offer their kidney to save the husband’s life,” said Dr Ajay, CEO, SPS Hospitals.

Sharing her experience, Amrit Kaur, who donated her kidney to her husband Inderjit Singh Sandhu, said, “My world came crashing down when I found out that my husband’s kidney was badly damaged. Despite my husband’s resistance, we went ahead and I donated my kidney. That was the only way to get him back and I could not have been happier.”

She added that she was excited about attending the Valentine’s Day party with her recovering husband.

Donor Jasbir Kaur said she could never imagine her life without her husband and was ready to do anything for him.

“I did not have a second thought about donating kidney for my husband. After all the tests were done, I donated kidney to my husband and is happy over my decision,” said she.

As per Dr Bakshish Singh, senior consultant nephrology and transplant medicine, in India about 60-80 per cent of kidney failure was due to unrecognised diabetes and high blood pressure.

People who are hypertensive, diabetic, obese, smokers and above 50 years of age should opt for regular health check-ups to evaluate their vital organs, especially kidney, liver and heart, he said.

Kidney failure is a major public health problem worldwide and chronic kidney disease is common, harmful and treatable.

Present on the occasion were Dr Ajay Angirish, CEO, SPS Hospitals, Dr Vikas Kumar, senior consultant urology and transplant surgeon, Dr Rahul Kohli, senior consultant and coordinator nephrology and transplant medicine and Dr Bakshish Singh, senior consultant nephrology and transplant medicine.