On wings of hope, he awaits a kidney for better life

World Kidney Day

Aadarsh Diwakar, a native of Chitradurga, has been living on hope for the past eight years that someone would donate a kidney and help him lead a better life.

The 21-year-old, who suffered renal failure at a very young age of one-and-a-half years, has been on dialysis. Even a kidney donated by his mother did not last for more than three days. In 2005, he registered with the Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka for Transplantation (ZCCK), the screening panel of the State government that oversees all unrelated organ donations. His turn is yet to come.

Aadarsh, currently pursuing his final-year bachelor’s degree in Arts, said: “I am waiting for that day when someone will donate a kidney and even I can live just like others. It is like hoping for another life.” He said that while his friends attended classes six days a week, he did so just three days because of his dialysis routines. “It has been eight long years since I registered with ZCCK. I am yet to get a call,” he rued.

Dr Anil Kumar, Consultant Nephrologist, BGS Global Hospitals, who is treating Aadarsh, said transplants depended on two factors. “One is the blood group and the other, the age of patient. If the blood groups are rare and the person is old, it is tough,” he said.

Presently, more than 900 people in the State await kidney transplants and have registered with ZCCK. “There are 910 people awaiting a transplant. This is just cadaver donation and excludes live donations,” explained ZCCK Chief Transplant Coordinator Manjula K U.

“There are a few organ donations. Others depend on cadaver donations,” she said.
On an average, she said, a person might have to wait for a minimum of three months for donation.

Manipal Hospital Director Dr H S Sudharshan Ballal said it was a long wait for those who wanted to get a kidney transplant. “At any given point in time, there are 600 people on the waiting list.” He explained that dialysis was not one of the best possible solutions. “It only leads to long-term complications and reduces the longevity of a person.”