After doctors declared their 17-year-old daughter Harshita brain dead and told them that not even a miracle can save her, Asha and Mahender Bharech decided to donate her organs so that she could live through people who benefit from her organs.
Harshita was admitted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for ulcerative colitis with bilateral haemorrhagic infarct. A decompression surgery was performed but prognosis remained grave. She was declared brain dead on April 29.
“Eyes of most of our family members have been pledged for donation after death. We value the idea of organ donation. So, when the doctors declared her brain dead we thought of organ donation. The whole family supported my decision. I wanted to see her in different forms even after her death,” Mahender Bharech, the father said.
“My son got very excited at the idea and told us that Harshita was in favour of organ donation. This give us courage and we resolutely approached the doctors who retrieved her organs,” he further said.
Harshita was preparing for AIEEE and was awaiting the result of Class 12 exams when she collapsed on April 29.
Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital were successfully able to retrieve Harshita’s kidneys, liver, corneas and heart valves.
“We have a long list of patients awaiting transplant. We are happy to announce that Harshita’s liver and one of her kidneys were successfully transplanted into two of our in-patients. The other organs were shared with other transplant centres in the city. It requires tremendous faith and goodwill to make this gesture. We all express our thanks and respect to the family,” said Dr B.K. Rao, chairman, board of management, SGRH.