It’s been an year since she underwent a heart transplant.( In fact, the first child in Mumbai to get a heart at just the age of eight.) Since her life was saved by doctors, Madhavi Vishwakarma has taken the resolution to become a cardiologist herself!
Madhavi- a class four student of Lakshdham High School, was diagnosed with a heart ailment in 2016. The ailment meant that her heart functioned only at 20% of its full capacity.
When Madhavi’s family began looking for treatment options, they were told that heart transplant was the only way they could save her.
It was the death of a seven year old boy in January 2016 which saved Madhavi. According to Smita Viswakarma, the girl’s mother, “It was nothing short of a miracle.” She has even kept the picture of Dyan Udani- the heart donor, in the prayer room in her home.
Thanks to the incident, the whole Vishwakarma family has pledged to donate organs.
Waiting for the donor
In 2015, Madhavi had frequent coughing fits and she underwent treatment with multiple doctors. The girl’s body weight dropped from 43 to 23 kilograms.
Her treatment began in Fortis Hospital by October 2015. In January 2016, realizing that heart transplant was the sole solution, the kid got registered in the waiting list.
In pediatrics, heart transplants are rare given the lesser number of brain stem deaths among children. However, in Madhavi’s case, just a week after she was registered, Dyan Udani had a stroke and passed away in Mumbai.
Dyan, who lived in Syndey had come down to visit his grandparents on his vacation.
He was about to board a plane to Australia when the stroke hit him. He was rushed to the Hinduja Hospital.
“Dyan had heard about organ donation in school and would keep telling his parents he wants to donate,” Smita said.
The boy suffered a brain clot. When he died, his parents didn’t hesitate to donate his organs. Smita recalls meeting his mother, saying how the two could only weep, at a loss for words.
“It was as if he was god sent,” said Smita.
Both the donor’s and recipient’s blood group and height were exact matches- something that made the transplant compatible and easier.
Back to being active
One year since the transplant, Madhavi is back to her active schedule- involving dancing, something that she had earlier discontinued because of poor health. Now, the 9 year old claims she wants to become a cardiologist so that she could help others.
Her family says that she is back to her active self. Last month, for instance, Madhavi even participated in a marathon conducted by the Wadia Hospital.
In Mumbai alone, there are three kids like Madhavi who are on the wait list for heart transplant. One of them is admitted to Fortis Hospital while a four year old needs hospitalization every few weeks. A one and a half year old baby recently died after heart donation didn’t materialize. Three other kids- ranging in age from two weeks to a few months- are on the wait list.
“It is extremely difficult to get a heart donor in pediatric cases. We need the blood group and weight to match. Awareness on heart donation is still low. Also it is emotional for parents of a deceased young child to decide on donating his or her organs,” said Dr Vijay Agarwal, pediatric cardiac surgeon who operated upon Madhavi at Fortis Hospital.
Image credits: indianexpress.com