Medical student who donated part of liver to father is face of organ donation campaign

Juhi Parmar, an MBBS student, donated 70 per cent of her liver to her ailing father, a Hepatitis C patient.

Juhi with her mother.

Two years ago, Juhi Pawar, an MBBS student, donated 70 per cent of her liver to her ailing father, a Hepatitis C patient who was battling for life. While her father has since died, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday chose Juhi as its first brand ambassador to promote organ donation.

Recalling her decision to become a donor, the 22-year-old said: “My father was battling for life. We found that we would have to wait for at least three years for a cadaver donor. He would not have survived. A live transplant was the only option. My mother’s blood group did not match, nor did by elder brother’s. None of our other relatives offered to help. But I had the same blood group.”

Her mother, Kiran, said that both she and her husband, Ravindra Pawar, resisted the decision. “It took some convincing,” said Juhi. Kiran said they gave in only after the doctors assured that there was no risk to Juhi’s life.

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The transplant was carried out in July 2012. Juhi’s father later died as he developed kidney complications.

“I am a living example to show that you can donate your organs and still lead a healthy life,” said Juhi.

“The organ donation did not stop her from entering the Miss India contest within a year of the transplant. She was shortlisted in the top 80,” said her mother.

“We want to tell people that organ donation is a beautiful thing,” she added.

Juhi said she plans to travel to conferences, hospitals and colleges, with state government officials, to sensitise people on organ donation.

First uploaded on: 04-03-2015 at 06:05 IST

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