Kerala HC allows minor to donate part of her liver to ailing father: 'Lucky to have a child like her'

"It is heartening to note that the unrelenting fight put up by Devananda has finally succeeded. Court applauds the petitioner's fight to save her father's life," the court stated.

A 17-year-old girl on Wednesday was permitted by the Kerala high court to donate a portion of her liver to her father suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Congratulating Devananda, the Single Bench of Justice VG Arun said parents are lucky to have children like her.(File Photo)

Devananda PP had sought permission under the ‘Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994’- which prohibits a minor to donate an organ-to help her father as she could not find any donors for the same.

Except for the daughter, the livers of the other family members were not found to be a match with her father's, reported news agency ANI.

PG Pratheesh, a resident of Kolazhy, in Thrissur district is battling a liver ailment called Decompensated Chronic Liver Disease with Hepatocellular carcinoma.

Congratulating Devananda, the Single Bench of Justice VG Arun said parents are lucky to have children like her.

"It is heartening to note that the unrelenting fight put up by Devananda has finally succeeded. Court applauds the petitioner's fight to save her father's life," the court stated as reported by ANI.

Based on a report filed by an expert committee, the court gave its nod for the medical procedure involving the minor.

The report stated that Devananda was fully aware of the consequences of her decision and requested the court not to reject the plea to allow transplantation as the donor would attain 18 years of age in five months.

Doctors had prescribed a liver transplant as the only viable cure for the father's chronic liver disease.