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He said he was hopeful that even more patients would be saved as some of Manisha’s tissues and bones were also harvested.
“We do not know who the recipients are nor their race or religion but the fact that Manisha has put a smile back on their faces gives my family a joy that is beyond words. Thank God we knew she had pledged all her organs before she left us,” he told FMT.
Jagan Mongan said Manisha had always helped people in need when she was alive and to have continued doing so after her death is something he will always treasure.
“I wish to tell the world that the impact of pledging your organs is far reaching. And it gives much joy to the family members you leave behind. It reduces the pain of their loss after you leave them,” he said.
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Dr Faiqah Nastasha Mohamed Sam, the donor coordinator at Hospital Sungai Buloh, said Manisha had pledged all her organs and tissues, something which is rare in Malaysia.
“However, there were only immediate recipients for the two kidneys and liver. Her corneas and bones were harvested and are being stored for future use. Corneas have a two-week deadline but bones can be kept for a lifetime,” she told FMT.
She said that those on the organ donation team at the hospital often had mixed feelings when faced with the death of those who have pledged their organs.
She said seeing the pain of the donor’s family was tough. On the other hand, seeing the joy of the people on the recipient’s side was heart-warming.
“Seeing this simply warms our hearts. Although they don’t know who the donors are, they always express much gratitude, thanking God for giving them a second chance at life. Dead donors may not see this joy but their family members feel this happiness,” she said.
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30 hours, 55 medical staff to harvest organs
Faiqah, who was assisted by staff nurse Zaidiana Yahya throughout the process, said the organ donation team sprung to action the moment Jagan Mogan informed them that his daughter who had just died, had pledged her organs.
“That was on March 29 at about 8.00am and we ran two tests to confirm she was brain dead. Meanwhile we sent blood samples to our laboratory, requested scans from our radiology department and alerted our local procurement teams as well as the National Transplant Centre (NTRC).
She said the NTRC alerted the various transplant teams, namely cardiothoracic from the National Heart Institute, hepatobiliary from Hospital Selayang and Urology from both Hospital Selayang and Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
“At 2.30am on March 30, Manisha was wheeled into our operation theatre where the NTRC, hepatobiliary team (Selayang), urology team (Selayang), ophthalmology team (Sungai Buloh) and orthopaedic team (Sungai Buloh) were waiting together with our anaesthesia and scrub team,” she said, adding that the liver transplant team in Hospital Selayang was mobilised and waiting for the organ.
At the same time, two kidney transplant teams in Hospital Selayang and Hospital Kuala Lumpur were on standby with the patients in need of the organs, she said.
The whole procurement was completed at 1.30pm, she said, some 30 hours after they flew into action. She said that Manisha’s body was then claimed by her family for her final journey.
“It was tiring for the whole team of about 55 medical and paramedical staff but at the end of the journey, it was sheer joy to see the smiles on the families of the recipients.
“We are thankful to Manisha’s family who had to endure the long wait while having to go through the pain of losing their loved one at such a young age.”
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Low organ donation rate
Faiqah said the number of organ donors in Malaysia versus the demand for organs is still low despite the process being made easier through the MySejahtera app.
She said there are 10,000 patients in Malaysia at present awaiting kidney transplants, and thousands of others in line for other organs and tissues.
“In Malaysia, there were 45 deceased donors last year who pledged both organs and tissues. In Hospital Sungai Buloh, we only had two procurements last year. This year, Manisha is our third donor.
“It has been a few years since we had a donor who pledged multiple organs and tissue like Manisha. God has given her the grace to help so many others,” she said.
Faiqah said those pledging their organs and tissues should inform their family members about their decision so that the authorities can harvest them as soon as possible upon their deaths.
For more information on pledging organs, go to: www.dermaorgan.gov.my
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