Cross-Border Gift of Life: Pakistani Teen Receives Heart Transplant from Indian Donor in Chennai

Chennai: A Pakistani teenage girl was able to receive a heart transplant from an Indian donor. Ayesha Rashan (19), suffered a cardiac arrest in 2019 which led her to India. 

Her condition had caused heart failure, to which Senior Cardiac surgeon Dr K R Balakrishnan suggested a transplant. A pump was surgically implanted to help her heart's left ventricle to pump blood. For the next five years, Rashan was on the state's waitlist. Last year, Ayesha experienced failure in the right side of her heart as well, causing further complications. 

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However, on 31st January, doctors from Chennai's MGM Healthcare successfully transplanted the heart of a 69-year-old brain-dead patient and gave Ayesha a new life. The 19-year-old is now in the recovery process and told TOI that she intends to complete her schooling in Karachi before becoming a fashion designer. 

NGO Aishwarya Trust aided in providing funds for the surgery. Ayesha's mother, Sanober Rashan revealed how doctors appealed to them to come to India despite being unable to afford the procedure.