Following in the footsteps of 14 brave-heart families this year, the family of deceased Mehar Singh, from Mandi in Himachal, gave the gift of life to two terminally ill patients and the gift of sight to two blind patients through organ donation.
On May 15, Mehar Singh (55) sustained severe injuries after he slipped and had a fatal fall while working at a construction site. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, from where he was referred to the PGIMER here as he was found unresponsive to treatment.
"Mehar Singh was brought to the PGIMER in an extremely critical condition on May 16 and was being treated here," a spokesperson said.
Despite best efforts by doctors, Singh's condition deteriorated and he was declared brain dead yesterday, he added.
Disclosing details of the case, Dr Ashok Kumar, Acting Nodal Officer and Additional Professor, Department of Hospital Administration, PGIMER, said "after the declaration of Mehar Singh as a brain dead patient, the transplant coordinators approached the family to consider the option of organ donation."
With their consent, the donor was operated on to harvest his kidneys and corneas, which on transplantation, helped save the lives of two patients suffering from end-stage renal failure and restore sight of two patients suffering from corneal blindness, he added.
Sheela Devi, wife of Singh, said, "We did not know anything about organ donation. But once we understood that our decision can help in saving many lives, we decided to go ahead. The only thought in our minds was that our decision may save other lives."
"My father was a kind person. He did things for others because it made him feel good. Even in his death, he has done what he lived for by selflessly saving the lives of others. He will continue to live amongst us through them," Shashi said while putting up a brave face amid his grief of losing his father.
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