Organ donation: In death, Army veteran turns saviour for three

Chandigarh, May 15

A retired junior commissioned officer (JCO), who served with the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles for about 30 years, has given a fresh lease of life to three persons through organ donation after he passed away on Tuesday.

The 70-year-old JCO, who belonged to Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, suffered a brain stroke and was declared brain dead at the Western Command Hospital, Chandimandir. His family consented to donate his vital organs.

In a marathon midnight surgery, the organ transplant team of the hospital harvested his liver, kidneys and cornea.

A green corridor was established and the organs were airlifted immediately by the Air Force to the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi where these were successfully transplanted in three terminally ill persons.

In the past, the Western Command Hospital has performed several organ harvesting and transplant operations, providing a new lease of life to critically ill persons.