A 12-year-old boy from Kolkata, who was himself waiting for a kidney transplant before being deemed brain dead, performed an incredible act of kindness by giving life to five other people. The parents consented to donate their organs despite the unfathomable grief, giving patients all over India the gift of life.

The boy, a Class VI student, had been receiving dialysis for nearly five years due to chronic kidney disease. Following an abrupt decline in his health, he was admitted to CMRI Hospital in Kolkata on March 28. On May 20, he tragically suffered a brain haemorrhage and was pronounced brain dead.

In a very heartwarming act, the liver and one kidney were given to two patients at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, while the other kidney was used at CMRI. The heart was transported to a hospital in Mumbai. It is uncommon for a former transplant candidate to become a donor, and this is the second organ donation case from CMRI.

The hospital raised a guard of honour in honour of this brave child, and staff, physicians, and nurses stood in silent respect, honouring not just a patient but a hero. Even though the boy is now in eternity, his memory is preserved here because of the lives he saved.

Such a story serves as a beacon of light about how compassion and strength transform lives during major tragedies in a world that is frequently burdened with loss and suffering.

Priyanka Dutta