Retired teacher's final lesson: Organ donation saves five lives

New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): A 69-year-old retired school teacher gave the ultimate lesson in compassion after her family donated her organs, saving five lives following her tragic demise.
The incident occurred on June 29, when Stella Suchindran collapsed in her washroom while preparing for a yoga session.
Rushed to a private hospital in Delhi, a CT scan revealed a massive intracerebral bleed. Despite emergency care and ventilator support, her condition deteriorated, and she was declared brain dead on July 2.
Amid their grief, her family, led by her son, made the courageous decision to donate her liver, both kidneys, and corneas. Her liver was transplanted into a 33-year-old woman at HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, while one kidney went to a 51-year-old man at the same hospital. The second kidney was allocated to another Delhi hospital, where it saved a 34-year-old man. Her corneas were sent to Nirmaya Eye Bank, where they will restore vision for two more individuals.
Anurag Saxena, Cluster Head (Neurosurgery) at HCMCT Manipal Hospital, praised the family's strength.
"The family's courage and strength during such a difficult time are truly inspiring. The patient came with a massive brain haemorrhage due to a ruptured brain aneurysm, and knowing the inevitable outcome, her family decided to continue with non-surgical management. Despite our best efforts, the patient couldn't regain her life and was declared brain dead on 2nd July 2025. In her final moments, this teacher taught us the ultimate lesson of compassion and generosity," Saxena said.
Dr. Shrikanth Srinivasan, Chairman, Manipal Institute of Critical Care Medicine, HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, said, "Organ donation is a vital part of end-of-life care, offering new hope to people and providing an opportunity to save multiple lives. Each act of organ donation is a reminder that even in our final moments, we can give others the gift of tomorrow. In a moment of deep personal loss, the family showed immense courage by choosing to donate her organs, which helped save the lives of five others."
India continues to face a wide gap between the number of patients awaiting transplants and the available organs. As per national data, approximately 1.8 lakh people suffer from kidney failure each year, yet only 13,426 kidney transplants were performed in 2023. Similarly, out of the 25,000-30,000 liver transplants needed annually, only 4,491 were conducted last year. In the case of corneas, about 25,000 transplants are performed annually against a requirement of 1 lakh.
The urgent need for organ donation highlights India's growing transplant gap and the importance of this noble gesture. With thousands of people waiting for life-saving organs, increasing public awareness and participation is important. Every donor has the power to change lives, making organ donation a vital step toward a more hopeful, healthier future for many. (ANI)