Media Release

Mangaluru, May 8: A noble act of humanity and hope was carried out at Wenlock District Hospital following the generous decision of the late Balakrishna Bhat (57 years), hailing from Kairangala, who succumbed to an intracranial bleed.

During his lifetime, Balakrishna Bhat had expressed his wish to donate his body after death. Respecting his noble intention, his family consented to tissue and graft donation, thereby helping many patients in need and contributing immensely to medical care and education.

Following an urgent call from transplant coordinator Padmavathi of Wenlock Hospital and Akshatha Shetty, a multidisciplinary retrieval team from the Dr Shantaram Shetty Tissue Bank of Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital promptly coordinated the donation procedure. The team, led by Dr Varun Shetty and including Dr Nirmal Babu, Dr Vinay Kumar, Dr Anoop Hegde, and Dr Sandesh (plastic surgery), successfully retrieved both ulnae, both humeri, both femora, both tibiae, along with skin grafts for tissue preservation and future patient care.

To preserve the dignity of the donor and prevent disfigurement of the body tissues, specially designed plastic bones were carefully inserted back after retrieval. The procedure was made possible with the wholehearted support of both Government Wenlock Hospital and Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital management, nursing staff, postgraduate residents, paramedical staff, and tissue bank personnel.

This inspiring act highlights the importance of cadaver and tissue donation in saving and improving lives. The family’s decision, even amidst grief, stands as a remarkable example of compassion and social responsibility. The medical fraternity sincerely salutes the donor and his family for their selfless contribution to humanity and appeals to the public to create greater awareness about organ and tissue donation.