In rare gesture, husband donates kidney to ailing wife

Nagpur: In a heart-warming reversal of typical gender roles in organ donation, a 55-year-old husband donated a kidney to his ailing wife, giving her a new lease of life. The life-saving procedure was performed with the help of advanced robotic surgical technology at a private super speciality hospital in city.While most kidney transplants in India see wives stepping forward as donors for their husbands, this time it was Prashant Upasani who gave the gift of life to his wife, Kanchan, 52, who was battling chronic kidney disease and was on dialysis for the past six months. This donation stands out as a rare instance of a husband donating a kidney to his wife — a scenario that remains uncommon in India. While most kidney transplants in India see wives stepping forward as donors for their husbands, this time it was Prashant Upasani who gave the gift of life to his wife, Kanchan, 52, who was battling chronic kidney disease and was on dialysis for the past six months.At Super Speciality Hospital (SSH), Nagpur, out of the 90 kidney transplants conducted over the years, only two involved husbands donating to their wives. In contrast, seven cases saw wives donating to their husbands, and 40 involved mothers donating to their sons."She was brought to the hospital in poor condition and urgently required a transplant. After evaluation, her husband Prashant was found to be a suitable donor and stepped forward without hesitation," said Dr Juned Sheikh, Principal Consultant, Urology and Kidney Transplant.The surgery was performed using robotic-assisted techniques, ensuring minimal blood loss, quicker recovery, and fewer complications. "Robotic surgery offers enhanced precision and is emerging as a preferred approach for donor organ retrieval," said Dr Sanjay Kolte, director of renal sciences.In another notable case at the same hospital, a 36-year-old woman donated a portion of her liver to her 40-year-old husband, who was suffering from liver disease. The liver transplant was also conducted through robotic-assisted donor hepatectomy by Dr Rajvilas Narkhede. "As the demand for organ transplants grows, such stories of courage and love serve as powerful reminders of the life-saving impact of donation," said Dr Kolte, who is also president of Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC), Nagpur.