In death, three from Punjab give fresh lease of life to 11

Chandigarh, August 17

The PGI witnessed an exemplary ‘spirit of giving’ by three brave heart families from Punjab amid their own darkest tragedies, providing second chance at life to seven patients battling for survival and restoring the sight of four corneal blind patients, thereby impacting the life of 11 in the past fortnight.

Donor Vandana Chopra’s husband Sandeep Kumar agreed for the altruistic act to give a new lease of life to two terminally ill renal failure patients and two corneal blind patients. Vandana, 45, a resident of Gandhi Colony, Rajpura, was admitted to a private hospital in Mohali. She was suffering from brain tumour, for which she was operated upon. The prognosis being poor post-surgery, Vandana could not be revived.

Following the family’s consent, her kidneys were retrieved and transplanted into two terminally ill patients suffering from renal ailment. The retrieved corneas, on transplantation, restored the sight of two corneal blind patients at the PGI.

Sita, 49, from Ghanouli village in Roopnagar district of Punjab, was grievously injured in a road accident and brought to the PGI on August 4. She was put on life support and declared brain dead on August 12. Jarnail Din, 60, from Bhogiwal village in Malerkotla was hit by a speeding vehicle from behind and received grievous head injuries. Din could not be saved and was finally declared brain dead on August 2.

The families of both Sita and Din consented for organ donation and following their consent, Sita’s kidneys and corneas were retrieved and Din’s kidneys and liver were harvested. The kidneys were transplanted into four patients battling for survival at the PGI. Din’s retrieved liver was transplanted into a wait-listed matching recipient. Sita’s corneas were used for two patients at the PGI, thereby giving them sight and impacting their lives.

Sita’s husband Dharam Singh, while trying to control his emotions, said, “I was devastated by my wife’s death. I hope my decision for organ donation helps some children turn lucky and save their parents. It will be the biggest tribute to her.”