She collapsed on her wedding day, but saved other lives

Chitra K.R.’s is the first multi-organ retrieval at NIMHANS

Little did the parents of 26-year-old Chaitra K.R. in Kodicheruvu at Srinivasapura taluk in Kolar district expect the tragic turn of events on her wedding reception day. She collapsed on the stage during the reception on February 6 and was taken to NIMHANS the following day. Doctors said she had suffered a brain stem stroke and declared her clinically brain dead on February 10.

Amidst such grief, her parents were generous enough to donate her vital organs and the retrieval was done at NIMHANS on February 11. This was the first multi-organ retrieval done at NIMHANS.

The brother of the donor, Purushottam K.R., told The Hindu that Chaitra was fine almost till the fag end of the reception and collapsed around 9.30 p.m. “We wanted her to be in our memory forever with this deed of saving the lives of others even in her own passing away,” he said. He added that she had contracted a mild infection of COVID-19 two months ago, but was fine within a few days.