Thiruvananthapuram5 minutes ago
Devananda, 17, with her father Pratish.
A 17-year-old girl has donated her liver to her father in Kerala. By doing this, she has become the youngest organ donor in the country. The girl’s name is Devananda and she is a class 12 student. Devananda’s father was suffering from severe liver disease and liver transplant was the only way to cure him.
But, according to the country’s organ donation rules, people below the age of 18 cannot donate organs. In such a situation, Devananda sought special permission from the Kerala High Court, which was accepted by the court. After getting the court’s permission, Devnanda donated a piece of liver to her father Pratish on February 9. Seeing the bravery of Devnanda, the hospital administration waived off the surgery bill as well.
Seeing Devnanda’s love, dedication and bravery for her father, the doctors waived off the bill for this surgery.
Read below the story of Devananda’s love for his father…
Symptoms of liver disease were first seen in September 2022
Devananda, a resident of Thrissur, tells that her father runs a cafe. Last September, during Onam, when his father returned home from work, his feet were swollen. At that time his father’s sister had died of breast cancer and everyone was recovering from this grief, so no one noticed his father’s condition.
His father’s weight increased by 20 kg in two months. He often spoke of fatigue and pain in his legs. The family got his blood test done, in which the reports came back normal. The family was worried about his health, so many more tests were done, including a CT scan.
Sent their reports to Devananda’s aunt, who is a nurse. He said that something wrong is visible in the liver, it should be checked. Then they took Pratish to Rajgiri Hospital where it was revealed that he had cancer along with liver disease. After this only one way left – Liver Transplant.
When Devananda learns that her father’s blood group is B- and her O+, she regrets that V will not be able to donate a piece of her liver to her father.
No donor was found due to rare blood group
After this, Devananda’s family started searching for a donor for her father. His blood group is B-, which is rare. No one’s blood group in the family matched with him. They looked for donors outside the family, but whoever found them demanded Rs 30-40 lakhs. It was not possible for Devananda’s family to pay so much money. Devnanda says that the regret was also that my blood group is O+.
She further told that when a donor was not found anywhere, the doctors at Rajgiri Hospital told that O+ is universal donor, so she can donate a part of her liver to her father. But everyone including family, doctors and Devnanda’s parents were against it.
Liver made fit for donation in a month’s exercise
Somehow Devananda persuaded the family and the doctors, but when her liver test was done, it was found that her own liver was not healthy. She could not donate such a part of the liver. But Devnanda did not give up.
He asked the doctors to prescribe a diet chart and exercises for him to make the liver healthy. Devnanda followed a diet and exercised for a month. Within a month, her liver recovered and she was fit enough to donate part of her liver.
When Devananda’s liver was tested, it was found that he was not healthy, but he made his liver healthy by exercising and maintaining diet for a month.
When the law came in the way, Devnanda challenged the law
After this, the biggest challenge came in front of Devnanda. According to the law of the country, people below the age of 18 years i.e. minors cannot donate organ or organ tissue. Devananda was determined to overcome this obstacle as well.
He searched the internet for articles and medical journals to see if any such case had happened before. He found a case in which a minor girl was allowed to donate her liver, but the surgery could not be done due to some reason.
Based on this case, he filed an application in the Kerala court in November 2022 with the help of his uncle. He wrote in the application that according to the Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, a minor cannot donate his organs while he is alive, but the Act was amended in 2011, according to which, if proper reasons are given, this rule can be changed .
Devnanda donated her liver to her father on 9 February after 6 months of trying.
Persuaded expert panel, donated liver to father
The court constituted an expert panel of 3 doctors, who at first refused for this donation, but due to the efforts of Devananda, the expert panel agreed. Finally on February 9, Devananda donated a part of her liver to her father.
After a week’s recovery in the hospital, Devananda has now returned home after being discharged. She told that I am preparing for 12th exams and waiting for my father to come home. Doctors have told me that his disease may return, but I am praying for him and can fight with any god for him.