There can’t be anything more heroic than saving a life and that too, when confronted with the darkest tragedy of one’s life.
The family of Rajinder Kumar, 48, from Patiala showed this rare and exemplary heroism on his passing away here in PGIMER and turned him a Saviour Brother on Raksha Bandhan by kindling hope for four patients, struggling for life and desperately seeking organs.
The heart of the donor Rajinder Kumar was flown-in to All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi in a Jet Airways flight on the evening of August 5. Thanks to Chandigarh and Mohali Police, a green corridor was provided and the donor heart was transported to International Airport, Mohali from PGIMER in just 18 minutes. Equally commendable was the prompt and proactive support of the airport and Jet Airways authorities for the safe transport.
The liver and kidneys of the saviour Rajinder Kumar were transplanted for the matching recipients here in PGIMER. In all, his passing away has given hope to four patients through organ donation by giving them a second chance at life.
A resident of Patiala, Kumar was going to work on his two-wheeler on July 28 when he suffered grievous injuries in a freak accident. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to PGIMER and was admitted here on August 3.
Since Kumar had received brain injuries and there had been a lot of internal bleeding in the brain, his chances of survival were extremely bleak. But the doctors at PGIMER left no stone unturned. However, his struggle between life and death came to an end on August 5 and he was declared brain dead after following the protocols of THOTA.
“Everything came crashing down,” recalls heart- broken but gritty Kamlesh Rani, wife of donor Rajinder Kumar. “Then the transplant coordinators at PGIMER talked to us about organ donation. The idea of having a chance to save someone else’s life appealed to us-even though we didn’t want to take off the life support.”
“Then we asked ourselves what he would have wished, and consented to the donation of his organs. My husband definitely would have wanted someone’s father, husband, wife, mother, daughter, or son to have more time to spend with their loved ones,” said Kamlesh Rani while trying to come to terms with reality.
After the family’s consent, the doctors harvested the heart, liver and kidneys for transplantation in the in-waiting patients. As there was no matching recipient in PGIMER, the donated heart was allocated to AIIMS, New Delhi with NOTTO’s intervention. The rest of the harvested organs including liver and kidneys have been transplanted to the matching recipients here in PGIMER only.
The family and friends gathered around the operation theatre described Rajinder Kumar as a ‘giving person’ who always believed in doing good for others. This organ donation happened because of the large-heartedness and understanding nature of his aggrieved family. They wanted their dear one to live-on despite their abrupt and tragic loss.
“It was very painful to let him go,” shared one of the Rajinder Kumar’s relatives. “But someone got a chance to live because of him. In his life, he had cared for so many people. This last gift he made is an everlasting testament to his character.”