In death, man gives life to six

Hours after patient was declared brain dead, family donates four organs to Puneites; liver flown by jet to Delhi for waiting patients

In death, man gives life to six

Hours after patient was declared brain dead, family donates four organs to Puneites; liver flown by jet to Delhi for waiting patients

On November 12, Dr Sandeep Munot turned his personal tragedy into a moment of joy for six families. The doctor from Ruby Hall Clinic donated his dead father's kidneys, liver and corneas to six people.

"It was shocking to learn that in a span of few hours, my father went from being a jovial man to a brain dead patient. Though our grief was beyond expression, my mother emer-ged as a pillar of strength. She told us her decision to donate the organs," said Munot, who works as an assistant to hospital's CEO Dr Parvez Grant.

His father Devichand (67), suffered a brain stroke at his home. Munot and his elder brother, also a doctor, administered first aid at home before rushing him to Ruby Hall Clinic, where he was declared brain dead a day later.

Toughest job
The toughest job for Munot was to act as a professional while arranging for the organ donations. "It was tough. As Dr Grant was the chief physician looking after my father, I had to act in both a professional and personal capacity. It was difficult to talk about my father in terms of 'patient'," said a disturbed Munot.

Six people who were in dire need of organ donation received the organs. While the liver was flown to Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram hospital by transplant surgeon Dr Arvinder Soin, who personally came to retrieve the organs, the kidneys were given to two women aged 43 and 42 from Pune, and the corneas went to two men aged 32 and 35.

According to Aarti Bhosale, coordinator for organ transplant at the hospital, what was startling about the case was the willingness of the family to donate. "I didn't even have to approach them; they came to me. This rarely happens."

Munot, who has now returned to work, says he doesn't know the people who received the organs nor shall he try to seek them out ever.

"I am happy knowing my father did a good deed even in death. That's enough for us."