Life-Saving Legacy: Brain-Dead Man's Organ Donation Impacts Four Lives

The relatives of a 33-year-old Osmanabad auto-rickshaw driver showed great courage by deciding to donate his organs after he was declared brain dead. This act of kindness gave four people a new lease of life, officials said.

The man suffered an intracranial hemorrhage and was pronounced brain dead on March 31 at Chandan Neuroscience Hospital in Solapur. Following counseling, his wife and mother agreed to donate his organs. His kidneys, liver, and lungs were retrieved and allocated based on the guidelines set by the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC) Pune.

To ensure timely transplantation, all organs were transported to Pune on April 2 via a specially designated green corridor.

"A 21-year-old woman battling end-stage liver disease received the liver, while one kidney was transplanted into a 22-year-old man suffering from renal failure at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. Another kidney was given to a 43-year-old patient at Ashwini Rural Medical College in Solapur. Additionally, the lungs were successfully transplanted into a 66-year-old man at DY Patil Medical College," stated Aarti Gokhale, transplant coordinator at ZTCC.

Gokhale further mentioned that this marks the 25th organ donation of the year under ZTCC Pune, with all transplant procedures being successful. The recipients are currently in stable condition.

Organ Donation:

Organ donation is the process of removing organs from a living or cadaveric donor and transplanting them into recipients with organ failure. Organ recovery is the process of retrieval.

Organ Donation Process:

Living Donation:

1. The donor is subjected to medical examinations to verify compatibility with the recipient.

2. After compatibility is verified, the transplant is planned.

3. The organ is surgically removed and stored in a chemical solution until transplantation.

4. The donor is kept under medical observation for recovery prior to discharge.

Deceased Donation:

1. A deceased donor is usually a person with a terminal brain injury or hemorrhage, certified as brain dead by medical professionals.

2. Organ retrieval is preceded by the family's consent. The donor is maintained on life support until the procedure is sanctioned.

3. Eligible recipients are selected from a waiting list and informed.

4. Following retrieval, the donor's body is returned to the family with respect. ^[1]

Organ Donation Registration Process in India:

Organ donation registration in India is a simple process. It starts with you filling an online pledge form with a registered organization. After registering, you get a donor card bearing a specific government-authorised registration number. All the organ donation pledges are kept on record by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO).

It’s important to understand that signing up as an organ donor is merely an expression of your willingness to donate organs—it does not hold any legal authority. The donor card serves as a symbolic declaration of your decision, so it is advisable to carry it with you and inform your loved ones about your choice.

As per Indian law, the final decision regarding organ donation after your demise lies with your immediate family members. Even if you have made an organ pledge, the donation will only go ahead with their permission. So having an open discussion with your family about your wishes is important, as this makes sure that they know what you want and are able to fulfill it when you die. ^[2]

References:

1. ORGAN India. 2025. "Know Organ Donation." ORGAN India. Accessed March 2025. https://www.organindia.org/overviews/know-organ-donation/.

2. ORGAN India. 2025. "Pledge to Be an Organ Donor." ORGAN India. Accessed March 2025. https://www.organindia.org/pledge-to-be-an-organ-donor/.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)