In death Shubhangi gives new lease of life to four persons

Staff Reporter

Nagpur’s young woman, who was declared brain dead, gave a new lease of life to four persons, including a serving 32-year-old defence officer, the recipient of her heart. In the recent past, there were rare examples where the committees related to organ donation could successfully retrieve and transplant heart. But in the case of Shubhangi Gannyarpawar (31), her two kidneys, liver, and heart were donated and transplanted successfully. Since logistics could not be possible within the time of retrieval, her lungs could not be donated to the needy.

The harvested heart of Shubhangi was sent from Nagpur to Pune, on Wednesday morning, to be transplanted to the recipient -- a serving defence officer admitted to the Army Institute of Cardio-Thoracic Sciences (AICTS), Pune. The vital organ was sent through a Green Corridor created by the civil administration before being transported to Pune, 700 km away, on an Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 aircraft. It was to be transplanted into the recipient within 4 hours. A Green Corridor was created with to expedite transplant of the vital organs and saving lives. Under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Chetana Tidke, the Green Corridor was created for heart transport from Wockhardt Hospital to Air Force Station at Sonegaon. Wockhardt Hospital staff created the honour corridor and paid tributes to the donor. For a Green Corridor, the Traffic Department collaborated to transport one of the vital organ of the donor in less than 60 to 70 per cent of the time that is usually taken to travel from one place to another.

Shubhangi Gannyarpawar (31), a resident of Nandanvan, was working with Bhausaheb Mulak College as Computer Operator. She was staying with her husband Manish (33) and a daughter Adhara (1.5 years). On July 20, at 11.30 pm she was taken to KRIMS Hospital after she complained about severe headache. On examining her, the doctors at the hospital found that she had brain haemorrhage. Brain dead committee at Wockhardt Hospital, including Dr Tom Cherian, Dr Sanjay Kolte, Dr Nishant Bawankule, Medical Administration team - Dr Vinod Kashetwar and Transplant Coordinator - Payal Katre declared Shubhangi ‘brain dead’. The information was forwarded to Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee (ZTCC). Accordingly, ZTCC President Dr Sanjay Kolte, Secretary Dr Rahul Saxena swung into action. ZTCC Coordinator Dinesh Mandpe conveyed the details to Shubhangi’s family. After the counselling, the family consented to donate her vital organs.

Dr Sanjay Kolte, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’, said, “Donation wouldn’t have been possible without the initiative taken by management of KRIMS Hospital as the staff proposed and educated the family members about organ donation and its benefits to the needy. ZTCC is grateful for the selfless initiative of the hospital and members of the donor family. Without such noble torch-bearers of the cause, organ donation can’t accomplish its true potential.” Her liver was given to a 54-year old man at Wockhardt Hospital, a kidney to a 64-year old man at Wockhardt Hospital and second kidney was allotted to a 23-year old man at Super Specialty Hospital, the doctor added.