ZTCC, health minister honours families of deceased donors | Mumbai News

MUMBAI: At Sion Hospital on Tuesday, families who suffered the loss of loved ones and, in their moment of grief, decided to donate organs were honoured by state health minister Prakash Abitkar. The event was organised by Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC). There were 28 such families present. Among them was the family of Sai Parab, whose organ donation last year enabled a heart transplant at KEM Hospital, the first such transplant there in 56 years.“We decided to attend the event only because we would like more families to take the decision of organ donation,” said her husband, Deepak Parab. “Even one life saved is also significant,” he added. However, families like his were kept waiting for over an hour due to the late arrival of Abitkar. In his address, Abitkar acknowledged the need for expanding Mumbai’s organ donation momentum to other regions across the state.Speaking to TOI, families shared the emotional weight as well as the strength it takes to arrive at the decision to donate organs as the time window is short. Anisha D’Souza-Andrade, whose 54-year-old husband died unexpectedly last year, recalled clinging to a memory—a passing remark he once made about wanting to donate his eyes. “He had no sickness, and all of it was sudden. That made it very difficult but we knew it is what he would have wanted,” she said. “Our children understood as well.” His liver, kidneys, and tendons were donated. The hospital gave him a guard of honour in recognition.Durga Prasad, brother of 52-year-old Srinivas Rao, said the decision to donate was consistent with his brother’s wishes, though still difficult in the aftermath of a sudden accident in Worli. Rao, a clerk at Nehru Centre, previously expressed support for organ donation.The hospital staff helped the family navigate the process. “It is nice that my brother is being remembered at this event,” he said.For Sangeet Tambe, a chef at a South Mumbai hospital, the choice was clear when his 72-year-old mother passed away. “We knew that one organ donor can save eight lives,” he said. His family donated her kidneys, liver, bone tissues, and bone marrow.