Mother gifts life to four by donating son’s organs

Mumbai may have been celebrating Diwali, but it was not a festival of lights for the family of 22-year-old Ravi Uchil. Ravi, who was declared brain dead by doctors, gave a new lease of life to four people on Saturday.

Ravi met a with a bike accident on October 20 on the Kashimira bridge at Mira Road. He was rushed to the nearby Orbit Hospital where the doctors provided him primary care and referred him to Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road, due to the severity of his condition.

“He was brought to the hospital within two hours of the incident and put on ventilator. His condition didn’t improve throughout the night and in the morning he was declared brain dead by the doctors,” said Ravi Hirwani, centre head of the hospital.

Rupa Uchil, Ravi’s mother, who works with Wockhardt Hospital, convinced the family to donate the organs due to her experience with organ transplants at the hospital, said doctors.

As soon as doctors informed the family of Ravi’s condition, Rupa, who was aware about the organ donation programme, consulted with the family if they would opt for it. “Ravi’s father was not in the country so as soon as the family gave their consent, they informed the hospital about their intention to donate the organs,” Hirwani added.

One of Ravi’s kidneys and a liver was transplanted into in-house patients. Another kidney was donated to PD Hinduja Hospital at Mahim.

Ravi’s corneas were retrieved by Rotary Club Borivali to be donated to the people waitlisted for corneal transplants.