Wife's incredible choice in grief: To keep her husband's spirit alive

Organ donation has a bigger cause than what many assume it to be. It gives new life to individuals. The close ones of the deceased see them in others. Governments and health agencies are encouraging individuals to pledge their organs for donation after their death. In some cases, relatives and family members willingly donate the organs of individuals. One such heroic act has been witnessed in the national capital Delhi where a wife has donated her husband's body organs after his death.

This remarkable step has been taken by the wife of deceased Shailendra Singh, who recently passed away. The 48-year-old was found unconscious at his home after which his wife rushed him to HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka. Upon admission, Shailendra was in critical condition, and a CT scan revealed a massive brain hemorrhage due to high blood pressure. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, his condition worsened, and he was declared brain dead at 9:55 pm the same day.

Shailendra Singh, an employee of a private company, left behind his grieving wife and their 8-year-old daughter. Despite her grief, Ms Singh made the courageous decision to donate her husband’s organs. Post her approval and counselling of the family, a team of doctors retrieved the liver and corneas from the patient. Due to high creatinine the kidneys were unfit for transplant. The heart and lungs were also unfit for transplant as he was revived from 3 cardiac arrests. The liver was allocated by NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization) to a 41-year-old male at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. Mr. Singh’s corneas provided the gift of sight to two individuals.


Dr. (Col) Avnish Seth VSM, Chairman of the Manipal Institute of Gastroenterology & Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences and Head of the Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST) at HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, said, “Our team worked closely with the patient’s family, providing the necessary information and support to help them make an informed decision. The family was keen to donate all of his organs, but unfortunately, the heart, kidneys, and lungs could not be retrieved due to medical reasons. However, the liver and corneas were successfully retrieved and utilized.”

Ms Viji Varghese, Hospital Director, HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka said, “The family's decision to donate organs has made a significant difference in the lives of others. Shailendra Singh’s legacy lives on through those he has helped save. Organ donation is a true gift of life, providing someone else with a second chance. We encourage everyone to consider organ donation and to register as donors. Together, we can save lives.”

The noble act of organ donation highlights the pressing need for organ donations in India, as there is a significant disparity between patients awaiting transplants and the availability of organs. Increasing awareness and participation in organ donation can bridge this gap and offer hope to countless lives in need. There is a wide gap between patients who need transplants and the organs that are available in India. 1.8 lakh people suffer from renal/kidney failure every year, however, only 15,000 renal transplants are done. An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 liver transplants are needed annually in India but only about 3000 are performed. Similarly, of several thousand who suffer from heart failure, only 200 get a heart transplant. In the case of Corneas, about 25,000 transplants are done every year against a requirement of 1 lakh.