Recipients
Anupam Gokhle
Gift your organ Exclusive Interview!
When we stepped into the tiny house located in R Nagar in Bangalore, we were met with a young girl of about 8, with shy, sparkling eyes which reflected not only childhood, but also held the depths of someone who had seen too much at her young age- Reema. Ankit is a young boy filled with mischief which can only be found in boy at the age of 6. Rohini, a wonderful and charming erstwhile home maker, now a school teacher, welcomed us cordially into their home. What we could see, through strangers’ eyes- A happy family contented with living a simple life. With 2 beautiful children- Reema and Ankit, and a loving, supportive wife,Rohini, Anupam Gokhale could not have asked for more. [Names and personal details changed upon request].
In 2007, Anupam fell victim to a severe allergy attack and had to be medicated with anti-biotics. Little did he know of the consequences that the continuous dosage for 4 years would lead to? He suffered from a high blood pressure problem and further tests including an abdomen scan revealed that both his kidneys had been damaged beyond repair. The anti-biotics had caused both of his kidneys to fail, a fact relayed to him by his local Doctor. He was then referred to a larger, more well known hospital [name withheld on request] for the dialysis process.
Life had taken a tragic turn for this small family of four, with the main bread-winner no longer being able to work to support them. Anupam had to undergo the dialysis treatment until a suitable donor of a kidney was found. Thus began the painful process in Dec 2007,
The only silver lining to Anupam and Rohini’s troubles was the fact that since Anupam worked for a Public sector company, his medical expenses were being covered by them. But that did not solve his problem of losing out on an steady income since he could no longer work. Someone once said, ‘Friends are the family that God forgot to give us’. This seemed cardinal and spot on in this case since colleagues stepped forward to help contribute a fixed sum per month which sustained the family in this time of distress.
Despite being the youngest of 4 siblings, not one came forward to even test whether their blood group would match Anupam’s. Donation was a far thought. Friends and colleagues were the ones who helped sustain his family in the time that he could not afford to do so himself.
Seeing young Reema and Ankit everyday at the hospital watching their Father undergoing the dialysis process struck a chord with Doctor Singh and the nurses at the hospital. The young ones would sit, quietly finishing their home-work and it seemed cruel for them to have to do so, instead laughing, playing and chattering away as normal children would.
Dr. Singh then suggested a registration with ZCCK, an organization which facilitates the cadaver transplant of organs to needy recipients. To the common man, even the word ‘cadaver’ does not hold much meaning and to those who know what it literally means, it tends to strike terror in their hearts. Cadaver transplant simply means the transplant of a donor’s organs once the donor has passed away.
The major challenge for Anupam and his family was that cadaver transplants were rare. Simply because donations were few and deaths where donations could be facilitated and organs harvested, even rarer. Then began the gruelling wait for a donor cadaver and one with a matching kidney at that.
Finally in August 2010, luck struck the Gokhale family. There were 4 registrants with the same blood group as Anupam, and all for kidneys. So everytime there was a possibility of a donation, all 4 were tested for compatibility with the donor organ, and the one found compatible would be operated upon and given the organ. Anupam and Rohini were overjoyed when a cadaver donor’s kidney was found to be suitable to his blood type and kidney match. The other 3 waiting with him were a 55 year old man, an 18 year old girl and a 13 year old boy. To quote him, “I felt elated at the prospect of receiving a new kidney and a new life. However, I am a father and seeing young children suffer in front of me ebbed my happiness but also filled me with gratitude and made me understand the value of life”.
Anupam was operated on for 8 hours. The harrowing wait during this time was hardly lengthy for a family which had waited 2.5 years for respite from this misery. The surgery was a success but recovery, not easy. Today the post surgery medication includes immuno-suppressants- 2 tablets a day. Thanks to Anupam’s employers and his supportive colleagues, the family has now come to terms with the past 3 years and Anupam is now on the road to recovery, though a long road no doubt. He still is on immuno-suppressants and is on a premanent diet restriction with instructions on hygienic and clean living in order to live a normal life. We wish him, Rohini and the family the very best.
