Social media gives new lease of life to 29-year-old man

Chandigarh: Social media gave a new lease of life to a 29-year-old man. His family managed to collect Rs 6 lakh for a heart transplant surgery in PGI through social media sites.
Deepak Rai had been waiting for a donor for his heart transplant. He missed the first chance, as he was away, but when last month there was a 19-year-old donor available, Deepak did not lose the chance.
“We had started on a donation campaign on social media as soon as the doctors said only treatment was heart transplant. Deepak had almost given up, as the estimate given to us was Rs 10 lakh,” said Sandeep Chaudhary, cousin of the heart recipient.
According to him, things took a definitive turn when Narula family intervened. “They spread the news about our requirements far and wide that people from Canada also donated for his surgery,” added Sandeep.
While Deepak is now able to take flight of steps, which he was earlier unable to without feeling breathless, he plans to meet the family of the donor who has given him a new life. “Doctors have advised not to travel for six months. But the first thing thereafter I will do is to visit the donor’s family and express my gratitude,” said Deepak.
The PGI has conducted seven heart transplants, with one mortality till date. PGI has been performing heart transplants since 2013. The reason for less number of transplants is the non-availability of the suitable donors and the matching recipients. “Those patients with heart failure whose expected survival is less than 10% at one year are moved up for possible heart transplant,” said Prof Ajay Bahl, who heads the heart failure clinic in the PGI.
Those who receive the heart need to be careful for the first three years. “These patients are put on immunosuppressants to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ. These patients have higher risk of getting infections, so they are advised isolation at home and maintain hygiene by putting masks,” said Prof Sourav Mehrotra from the department of cardiology, PGI.