Bengaluru: 70-year-old farmer donates organs to save lives

Bengaluru: Seventy-year-old Venkataswamy, a farmer who was shifted from Blossom Hospital to Apollo Hospital in a critical state, was announced brain dead. His family members decided to donate his liver, kidneys and eyes.

Talking about organ donation at an elderly age, Dr Mahesh Goppasetty of Apollo Hospital said, “It is considered sensitive in our country and has not been widely accepted. We are bound to believe in rituals and religious sentiments before donating bodies. This has to change with proper awareness and guidance at the base level.” Venkataswamy’s wife said, “It was a very tough decision for our family. But when doctors told us that our decision can help save someone else’s life, we as a family decided to take a step ahead and donate my husband’s organs.