Bone marrow transplant of SMS medical student begins in Jaipur

JAIPUR: After successfully collecting funds of over Rs 10 lakh for the ailing fellow student Rohan (name changed), who is suffering from aplastic anemia, the students of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College are now waiting for the successful completion of the bone marrow transplant.

SMS Hospital doctors have conducted the chemotherapy and started the procedure of replacing the diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells. Other than collecting funds for the operation, students also donated the blood required for the surgery.They also performed a `havan' on Sunday and prayed for Rohan's speedy recovery.

The bone marrow for the procedure has been donated by Rohan's younger brother.Doctors said the process of transplant has not been completed yet. "It will continue for at least 20 more days," said Dr Sandeep Jasuja, head of the department (medical oncology), SMS Medical College, who is performing the transplant.

Since the marrow of donors and the recipient does not match fully, the transplant is quite challenging.

Seeking divine intervention for the successful completion of the surgery, students performed a `havan' at a temple situated in the medical college on Sunday.

"We are happy to collect funds for our fellow medical student.The transplant is in progress, we pray to God to make him healthy soon," said Rahul Kumar Modi, a 2015 batch MBBS student of the medical college. Students collected over Rs 10 lakh in seven days, from August 28 to September 4."We received funds from all government medical colleges of the state as well as from medical colleges in Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Delhi," Modi said.

The students also donated blood required for the transplant. "So far, we have donated 16 units of blood. We will donate more if the surgery requires it," said Neeraj Yadav, a 2015 batch MBBS student.

According to them, at least 30 units of blood might be required for the procedure.