Vashi bizman becomes 31st heart donor in city

Over a year back, 52-year-old Dhiren Shah told his family members that he would like them to donate his organs after his death. So when doctors at the Fortis Hospital in Mulund declared him brain dead last week, his family consented to donating his organs without hesitation.

"My father was admitted to the hospital for a low platelet count but his health deteriorated suddenly. Doctors then told us that he was brain dead and would remain in a vegetative state," said Dhairya, the donor's son. Dhiren had suffered an intracranial bleed.

His heart went to a 33-year-old male recipient from Ahmednagar who was on the wait list for a heart for the past two months. The kidneys were transplanted by Fortis Hospital into two in-house patients suffering from end stage renal disease. While one was a 57-year-old female recipient from Airoli, the other was a 46-year-old male recipient from Mulund. The transplant conducted, on Saturday, is the city's 31st donor – an all time high since heart transplants began.

Dhiren is survived by his wife and two children who have been receiving praise from their family and friends. "He may be dead but his heart is still beating inside someone," Dhairya added.