Kochi: Two Keralites have got a new lease of life after the family of a brain-dead woman from West Bengal donated her kidneys at a private hospital here.
Kajori Bose, a woman tourist, was declared brain-dead at VPS Lakeshore Hospital, where she was undergoing treatment.
The 55-year-old, a resident of Behala in Kolkata, would probably be Kerala's first organ donor from outside the state, doctors said.
"What is laudable is that initiation for transplantation of organs came first from her family after she was declared brain-dead yesterday," Dr H Ramesh, who led a team of doctors for transplantation, said.
Hospital authorities said the woman, who was on a tour along with her family in Alappuzha, suffered breathlessness and collapsed inside a house boat on January 24.
Though she was first rushed to a private hospital in Thathampilly, Alppuzha, later shifted to VPS Lakeshore Hospital.
Hospital authorities said the woman's husband came forward to donate the organs.
"We decided to donate her kidneys as it would save life of two people and it will also help us to keep her memory alive. Usually people donate organs if brain death happens in their hometown, Deviprasad Bose, husband of Kajori Bose, is quoted as saying a release here.
"We hope that our decision to donate organs will encourage people to donate organs of the near and dear ones even if brain death happens irrespective of any part of the country," it said.
The kidneys were transplanted into Philip T A (55) of Anchal in Kollam and Makkar T M (61) of Mulavoor in Ernakulam at the same hospital yesterday.
Ramesh said the recipients were selected from those who were registered in Kerala Network for Organ Sharing Mrithasanjeevani, an online transplant registry of patients on waiting list for kidney, liver, heart and pancreas transplants in the state initiated by the state government.
The woman's body will be taken to her native place in a flight after embalming it at Ernakulam General Hospital.
