Elderly mothers donate kidneys to save ailing children

Old age and frail health have not deterred these mothers from donating their kidneys to save lives of their children. Sixtynine-year-old Malabar Hill resident Lalita Menon didn't think twice before donating one of her kidneys to her ailing son Sanjay, 49.

Both the mother and son underwent a transplant surgery at Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle last year. But donating a kidney for Menon was no easy feat. She is a cardiac patient and is fitted with a pacemaker.

"My son has been suffering from high blood pressure (BP) for the last 11 years. Last year, however, his condition worsened and he had to undergo kidney transplant. I had to do whatever it takes to make him live a healthy life despite suffering from cardiac trouble," Lalita told dna.

Sita Shankarnarayan, 72, a former Chemistry lecturer at Ruia College in Matunga, did not flinch before donating her kidney to her daughter Deepa, 42, a year ago. She sportingly shows the foot-long incision she sustained on her stomach as her kidney was removed. "The cut was deep. On the operation table, they discovered that an interfering blood vessel had to be severed. I experience pain sometimes, but that is nothing compared to seeing my daughter fit and healthy," beams Sita.

Leena D'Silva, 68, says a part of her mother lives in her till date.

Sixteen years ago, Leena's mother Mercina, who was then 70, donated her kidney to her at PD Hinduja Hospital in Mahim. "My mother expired three years ago at the age of 83. Her kidney was normal till her last breath. She was an asthamatic but that did not stop her from donating a kidney to me," said Leena, an ex-employee of Voltas Limited.

Doctors say that if the kidney function of senior citizens (above 60 years) is as good as any other person they are fit to donate. "In fact, up to 40 per cent of our donor pool consists of persons above 60 years of age. If kidneys of the elderly donor are healthy then they can donate their kidneys to their ailing children by all means," said Dr N Hase, head of Nephrology, BMC-run KEM Hospital at Parel.

Ten per cent of a given population suffers from chronic kidney disease (CKD) and require kidney transplant when their condition deteriorates over a period of time. "Of the nearly 4 lakh patients who require transplant, hardly one per cent receive it. Others live a compromised life of dialysis or die on waiting list. The elderly especially women form a large part of our donor pool. They are the true champions and need to be lauded for their invaluable sacrifice," said Dr Bharat Shah, nephrologist at Global Hospital and trustee of Narmada Kidney Foundation.

maitri.porecha@dnaindia.net