In death, 11-year-old Himachal girl gives new lease of life to four

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10

Nayna Thakur, an 11-year-old girl from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, became a beacon of hope for several organ failure patients. Her parents’ decision of organ donation, in the midst of their own tragedy, impacted four lives with the transplantation of two kidneys and two corneas to the matching recipients in the PGI.

Expressing gratitude to the donor family, Prof Surjit Singh, Director, PGI, said: “The exemplary decision by Nayna’s family proved a boon for four patients tangibly and many more intangibly. In view of the family’s commitment to see their daughter relive in others, organ donation becomes a resurrection story. Out of death and despair came new life. It’s an extremely tough call, but ‘spirit of giving’ overcomes all obstacles.”

Nayna met with a road accident on March 3. She suffered serious head injury and was declared brain dead on March 7.

“It all began with after a freak accident on March 3 and our world came crashing down. A desperate rush to a local hospital in Mandi and then, seeing no improvement, a frantic dash to the PGI on the same day. All efforts went in vain. We were right there, helplessly watching and not being able to do anything to save our daughter,” stated shocked but courageous Manoj Kumar, father of Nayna, while trying to come to terms with reality.

Prof Vipin Koushal, Nodal Officer, ROTTO, PGI, said: “After the girl was declared brain dead, issue of organ donation was flagged to the family by transplant coordinators at the PGI. Following the consent of the family, Nayna’s kidneys were retrieved and transplanted to two patients suffering from terminal renal ailments. They were on dialysis for long, thereby giving them a fresh lease of life. The retrieved corneas of the donor restored the sight of two corneal blind patients.”

“I hope that the donor family’s courageous deed inspires more people to say ‘yes’ to organ donation and help save those waiting for a transplant,” said Prof Koushal.

“It was a tough call to say ‘yes’ to organ donation. The only thought that enabled us go ahead with this decision was that Nayna had been so kind-hearted that saving others’ lives through organ donation seemed apt for her while bidding adieu to this mortal world. This might give solace to the departed soul,” said Jagdish Chand Thakur, grandfather of Nayna.

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