BENGALURU: Four-year old Arpita Samal got a new lease of life after her mother donated a kidney to her in January this year. Initially, the little girl couldn’t find a donor of her age and underwent dialysis for more than a year here at Marathahalli. Now she can go back to Odisha, her home state.
Ahead of World Kidney Day and on the eve of International Women’s Day, her mother 31-year-old Priyanka Samal, was felicitated on Tuesday at Rainbow Children’s Hospital, where she underwent the transplant.
“My mother and mother-in-law have passed away. In transplants, it’s either the parents or grandparents who are the donors. My father and father-in-law are diabetics. My husband is a working professional. So, I took the decision to donate,” Priyanka said.
Dr Saumil Gaur, paediatric nephrologist, said, “Arpita was suffering from nephrotic syndrome (kidney disease where there is loss of protein into the urine). She was on dialysis for more than a year. The kid had a small kidney with small blood vessels, and her mother had a bigger kidney which was a challenge.”
Dr Kishore Phadke, clinical director at Rainbow Hospitals, said, “This case proved that kidney failure was not the end road for children. Kidney transplants help children get back on track, go back to school and playgrounds like any other child.”
The hospital also recognised two other donors - 59-year-old grandmothers who donated kidneys to their grand children, a six and nine-year-old - all four of them are doing well from the past one year.