20-month-old toddler becomes youngest cadaver donor, saves five lives

By Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], January 14 : The parents of a 20-month-old toddler, who had fallen off the balcony and become brain dead, decided to do a noble deed and donated her organs and in the process she became the youngest cadaver donor, giving a new lease of life to five people.
This compassionate call was made by a couple hailing from Delhi's Rohini after their toddler was declared brain dead at Sri Gangaram Hospital on January 11. Two days before this, the toddler had fallen off from the first floor of their home on January 8 while playing on the balcony.
While speaking with ANI the grieving father Ashish Kumar said, "The doctor told us that Dhanishtha condition is irreversible as her brain was dead. While her treatment was going on, we met other parents who were extremely worried about organs needed to cure their children. As her brain was declared dead and her condition was irreversible, we asked the doctors if our daughter's organs can be donated to save lives. The doctor said yes definitely you can do that."
Talking about what prompted the organ donation, Ashish said, "We together decided to go for this noble cause to save other children rather than burying/cremating her body. At least we will have this consolation that she is still living in them."
Dr DS Rana, chairman (BOM) of the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital has praised this act of kindness, saying that this will motivate others to follow suit.
"This noble act of the family is really praiseworthy and should motivate others. At 0.26 per million, India has among the lowest rates of organ donation. On an average five lakh Indians die every year due to lack of organs," said Dr Rana.
As all other organs were working in excellent condition Dhanishtha's heart, liver, both kidneys and both corneas were retrieved at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and used in five patients.
Kidneys were been given to an adult, heart and liver to two children whereas cornea is in store.
Dr Naimesh Mehta, co-chairman, Surgical Gastro and Liver transplant of Sir Gangaram Hospital told ANI, "The number of transplants and cadaver availability is far less. Only 20 to 30 per cent are cadaver donors. From a larger perspective, some 20,000 patients are waiting for a liver transplant."
Doctors further said that the divide between north and south is also pretty huge. If calculated in terms per million population, the cadaver donation in South is one per million population whereas in the North it is 0.01.
Last year's statistics could not be known but experts believe that following the pandemic outbreak, the numbers have reduced.