PUNE: In an act of generosity amid grief, the family of a 21-year-old accident victim donated his organs after he was declared brain dead at Bharati hospital, giving four patients a fresh lease of life.
The victim had been admitted to Bharati hospital and research centre on August 4 after a road accident left him with grievous brain injuries. The police said the victim was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
After doctors counselled the victim’s family about his critical condition and the possibility of organ donation, the family agreed to donate his organs. Subsequently, he was declared brain dead as treatment did not evoke adequate response following which, the zonal transplant coordination centre (ZTCC), Pune, was informed and the process of organ allocation initiated.
One of the deceased’s kidneys was transplanted in a 34-year-old man at Bharati hospital who had been suffering from chronic kidney disease and undergoing dialysis for the past three to four years. The patient, registered with the hospital since 2025, is now recovering; doctors said. The deceased’s other kidney was allocated to a 49-year-old woman at Apollo hospital, Nashik, who had registered for a transplant since 2019. The deceased’s liver was allocated to a 25-year-old woman at Ruby Hall Clinic as a super-urgent case, while the heart was shared with ZTCC Mumbai for allocation to a 59-year-old man.
“The family was counselled about organ donation after the victim was declared brain dead. They understood the situation and agreed to donate his organs. The recipients are doing well, and the kidney recipient at our hospital, who had been on dialysis for three to four years, is recovering well,” said Dr Jitendra Oswal, deputy medical superintendent, Bharati hospital and research centre.
{{/usCountry}}“The family was counselled about organ donation after the victim was declared brain dead. They understood the situation and agreed to donate his organs. The recipients are doing well, and the kidney recipient at our hospital, who had been on dialysis for three to four years, is recovering well,” said Dr Jitendra Oswal, deputy medical superintendent, Bharati hospital and research centre.
{{/usCountry}}The donation also involved the coordinated air transfer of a human organ from Pune to Mumbai on Monday.
The organ retrieved at Bharati hospital was flown to Sir H N Reliance Foundation hospital in Mumbai where a medical team was waiting for the transplant. A non-scheduled flight operated by Jhankar Aviation Pvt Ltd, using aircraft VT-TIS, was arranged for the transfer. The aircraft took off from Pune at 4 pm and reached Mumbai at around 4.30 pm.
The organ was transported in a specially designed insulated ice box with three layers of protective covering. It was preserved using a preservation solution, ice gel packs, and sterile ice to maintain the required temperature during transit.
The transfer involved coordination among airport authorities, the airline, ground staff, security personnel and medical teams to ensure that the organ reached the recipient hospital without delay.
Aarti Gokhale, ZTCC Pune coordinator, said, “The family’s decision to donate the organs of their young son at such a difficult time is truly commendable. Their gesture has given four patients a chance at a new life. The coordinated efforts of the hospital, ZTCC, airport authorities, airline and medical teams ensured that the organs were transported safely and without delay”.