Chandigarh: 17-year-old brain-dead girl saves three lives at PGIMER
Harpreet’s liver transplanted to a 51-year-old male patient from Mohali; a kidney and pancreas to a 25-year-old female from Solan, another kidney to a 36-year-old male patient from Chandigarh
A 17-year-old girl, who was declared brain-dead after a fall from a height, gave a new lease of life to three terminally ill patients at PGIMER, Chandigarh, after her family courageously consented to donate her organs.
Following the accident, Harpreet, a BCA student, was initially admitted to the Fatehgarh Sahib civil hospital and later referred to GMCH-32, Chandigarh. She was eventually brought to PGIMER on April 17 in a critical condition. Despite all medical efforts, her condition deteriorated, and she was declared brain-dead by the brain stem death committee on April 20 in accordance with the Transplantation of Human Organs Act.
At this devastating juncture, her father, Surinder Singh, made the extraordinary decision to donate all of Harpreet’s viable organs.
The PGIMER teams concerned retrieved and transplanted Harpreet’s liver to a 51-year-old male patient from Mohali. A 25-year-old female from Solan received one of the kidneys and pancreas, while another kidney was transplanted to a 36-year-old male patient from Chandigarh, granting three terminally ill patients a new beginning.
Her father said, “Harpreet was the light of our lives. Losing her is unbearable, but knowing that her organs are giving others a second chance at life gives us some peace. Her heart was always full of kindness and this is exactly what she would have wanted.”
{{/usCountry}}Her father said, “Harpreet was the light of our lives. Losing her is unbearable, but knowing that her organs are giving others a second chance at life gives us some peace. Her heart was always full of kindness and this is exactly what she would have wanted.”
{{/usCountry}}Paying tribute to the donor family, PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal said, “In a moment of profound personal grief, this family chose humanity. Harpreet’s gift of life stands as an enduring act of generosity and courage. Such stories instil hope and reinforce our belief that one life can indeed light up many.”
{{/usCountry}}Paying tribute to the donor family, PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal said, “In a moment of profound personal grief, this family chose humanity. Harpreet’s gift of life stands as an enduring act of generosity and courage. Such stories instil hope and reinforce our belief that one life can indeed light up many.”
{{/usCountry}}Dr TD Yadav from the department of surgical gastroenterology, who spearheaded the liver transplantation, noted, “Liver transplantation is one of the most challenging procedures in medicine, requiring immense precision and coordination. The complexities involved in matching and post-operative care test our skills and resilience, but the rewards of saving lives make every effort worthwhile.”
{{/usCountry}}Dr TD Yadav from the department of surgical gastroenterology, who spearheaded the liver transplantation, noted, “Liver transplantation is one of the most challenging procedures in medicine, requiring immense precision and coordination. The complexities involved in matching and post-operative care test our skills and resilience, but the rewards of saving lives make every effort worthwhile.”
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