Pankaj was undergoing dialysis and had registered with the Zonal Co-ordination Committee, Karnataka (ZCCK), for cadaver transplant . On March 25, when Shantanu Ray (name changed ), the software engineer from JP Nagar was declared brain dead in a city hospital , his family decided to donate hisorgans .Thisdecision taken by the Ray family helped Pankaj . ZCCK contacted the authorities at the Fortis Hospital where Pankaj was undergoing treatment .

The hospital immediately informed Pankaj and his family and counselled them for the transplant procedure , which was a little risky as Pankaj is also a heart patient .

Said Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy, consultant urologist and transplant surgeon , Fortis Hospitals : "The procedure was complex because the patient was not only suffering from renal failure , but also had a weak heart . We had to be extremely careful while giving anesthesia to the patient as he had previously suffered a stroke and it could have proved risky ."

Added Dr Keshavmurthy: "In this case , the patient also needed to undergo heart treatment , but unless his kidneys were not treated , it was impossible to touch his heart ."

"My father was suffering from kidney failure for over three years and was on regular dialysis . He is the backbone of our family of 10. I was just 21, when he was diagnosed with the failure and had no clue to run the family business. This donation has come as a blessing for our family ," said Muni , Pankaj's son .

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