Champion’s Resolve: National level footballer donates liver to brother suffering from cirrhosis & gives him a new lease of life

The brother, suffering from cryptogenic liver cirrhosis is also a Karate trainer, an active sportsperson by Profession

The Transplant was performed by a large team of Experts at Apollo Hospital Lucknow

The donor has resumed her rebuilding exercises as a sportsperson under the supervision of experts, while her brother, the recipient is also recovering well

TIL Desk Lucknow/ Showcasing the True spirit of sports and brother-sister bonding, a 28-year-old National level football player from Prayagraj has donated a portion of liver to her brother at Apollomedics Hospital Lucknow. The patient, a 30-year-old Karate coach by profession, was suffering from Cryptogenic Liver Cirrhosis, a condition that threatened his life and career. His sister, a National Level Football Player, selflessly stepped forward to donate a portion of her liver, giving her brother a second chance at life.

Dr. Waliullah Siddiqui, Liver transplant specialist at Apollomedics Hospitals Lucknow who conducted the transplant, said, The patient, who is a Karate Trainer at a Private School came to us with with stiffness in his abdomen and jaundice. He was diagnosed with Cryptogenic Liver Cirrhosis. The only treatment to save his life was to perform a Liver Transplant.

The recipient found a donor match in his sister. She is a national-level football player with a thin body structure. She consented to donate her liver. Given her condition, a small portion of her liver was extracted for the transplant. The surgery was completed successfully & both patient & donor are recovering well. The case was challenging as the recipient’s condition was deteriorating with every passing day, and without a transplant, he couldn’t have survived more than two months.

Dr Ashish K Mishra, Liver Transplant Specialist at Apollomedics Lucknow added, “In India, liver diseases pose a significant burden, accounting for 18.3% of the global liver disease deaths in 2021, totaling two million deaths. Despite the need for more than 20,000 liver transplants, only 3,500 have been conducted. In a recent case, a young patient with an active lifestyle was diagnosed with Cryptogenic Liver Cirrhosis. Fortunately, her sister, a national level football player, stepped forward to donate her liver. This inspiring story serves as a testament to the safety and effectiveness of organ donation, highlighting the fact that individuals can lead normal lives after donation. It is crucial for everyone to draw inspiration from this case and dispel the prevailing myths surrounding liver transplantation in our society.

Dr Mayank Somani, MD and CEO, Apollomedics Hospital, Lucknow said, “This case is both a story of inspiration of a footballer sister donating liver to her brother and also a testimony of the top-notch medical services available at the Apollomedics hospital in the entire region. The transplant took place in the month of June, and the brother-sister duo were sent home after

a week of the transplant surgery. The donor, despite the physical challenges of the transplant, has already embarked on her rebuilding exercise and is determined to resume her football career soon under the supervision of Experts. Doctors have advised her to avoid activity that can impose pressure on her abdomen.

Similarly, the recipient has also been allowed moderate activities, which can be increased after three months of the transplant. This case serves as an inspiration to all those who deem their lives limited after organ donation. It redefines the bounds of the possible and resonates a powerful message that individuals can lead fulfilling lives, even after selflessly donating their organs. Witnessing the transformation and renewed vigor in both the recipient and donor reaffirms our belief in the power of organ transplantation and the incredible strength of the human spirit.