49-yr-old woman gives new lease of life to terminally ill

When 49-year-old Surinderjit Kaur Bhatia, a resident of Morinda, Rupnagar, was declared brain dead on September 13 at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, she gave a new lease of life to two kidney patients.

Following the consent of her husband, Manjit Singh Bhatia, who himself has donated blood for more than 50 times, and other family members, kidneys were retrieved and were transplanted to two terminally ill patients suffering from renal ailment.

The retrieved corneas, on transplantation, restored the sight of two corneal blind patients at PGIMER, the institute said.

Professor Jagat Ram, director of PGIMER, said, “Bhatia family from Morinda is an epitome of compassion and benevolence. Their noble deed of 100 blood donations and now organ donation is far more magnanimous than any eulogy, any words of gratitude.”

Professor Vipin Koushal, nodal officer of regional organ and tissue transplant organisation (ROTTO), said, “Any initiative, however difficult, becomes meaningful when the community owns it and takes it forward. With donor families like the Bhatias setting role models for others to follow, it seems we have come a long way through awareness generation.” 

 Kaur’s children said their mother had donated blood 48 times and had not only registered herself for corneal donation but also motivated hundreds others to do the same.

First Published: Sep 16, 2019 00:48 IST