It’s been almost six months and Nashik’s Nakul Chavan (15) is still waiting for a donor heart. Nakul was diagnosed with an end-stage heart disease and the only way out of it is a heart transplant. His family is hoping for the best but thanks to lack of a cadaver donation programme or any awareness in the state they are yet to see the light of the day. Nakul was forced to leave school after he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. According to doctors, his heart’s pumping efficiency has dropped from 60 per cent to 10-15 per cent, leading to swelling in several parts of his body. dna had reported about the family’s struggle to find money for his treatment.
“After the diagnosis at Wadia Hospital, we were advised to go to Chennai as that city is more promising when it comes to getting a donor heart. We had registered in a hospital there; but when we came to know about the three heart transplants in Fortis Hospital, we got Nakul admitted there on August 18,” said Dilip, Nakul’s father. Nakul’s mother Jaya, who works in a nursing home in Nashik, is distressed by the development. “We are ready to go to any part of the country for a donor heart. His health is deteriorating and he is not been able to attend school,” added Dilip.
Dr Swati Garekar, paediatric cardiologist in Fortis Hospital, said: “We tried to get the message across through social media. In paediatric cases, we require a donor heart that matches the size of the recipient’s heart. We did what was supposed to from our side. But we can’t predict when we can get the organ.”
Meanwhile, Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee (ZTCC) president and Medical Director of Sir HN Research Centre, Dr Gustad Daver, said, “We are creating awareness among people regarding cadaver donation. Most people are now aware of brain death. All hospitals need to take effort to encourage cadaver donation, which will help those who have been waiting for a long time.”
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