An Indian painter, who lost his arms and hands in a tragic accident, found hope again after a donor gave him new limbs.
On January 19, 2024, the amputated painter, Raju (not his real name) underwent the surgical process in Delhi. A huge, dedicated team of surgeons worked together to make the intricate procedure a success, reattaching bones, tendons, arteries, veins, nerves, muscles, and skin. The surgery took 12 hours.
In October 2020, Raju had an accident where he lost control of his bicycle and fell on the train tracks. The train ran over him, which resulted in him losing both his upper limbs.
His only options were to use prosthetics or a hand transplant. However, his prosthetic trial was unsuccessful, and no centers in North India had permission to perform hand transplants at the time.
In February 2023, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital became the first center in New Delhi to receive permission to perform hand transplants. However, there is one thing missing: a donor.
The passing of Meenu Sharma (not her real name), a retired Vice Principal of New Greenfield School in Kalkaji, New Delhi, meant that Raju would be given a second chance.
Sharma was declared brain-dead by doctors. However, before her death, she expressed a wish to be an organ donor after her passing.
After six weeks in the hospital, on March 7, 2024, Raju was discharged from the hospital with a new pair of hands and a new lease on life.
