Donor Memorial

• Dr. Shail Gupta   - 59 Years

  
  Oftentimes we take certain things for granted. "Policemen are never afraid", "Teachers don't learn" "Leader's don't follow" "Doctors do not fall ill". Well, fate does have its own maxims and none of world's assumptions hold any leverage against it.
  
  Dr. Shail Gupta was a Homeopath who practiced her profession with her husband (who is also a doctor) in her own clinic in Model Town, Delhi. A spiritual and altruistic person at heart, she would rise as early as 5 every morning, go for a stroll with her husband, cook for the family, manage the household after which she would rush to the clinic every single day working to better the conditions of her many patients.
  
  So it was nothing less than an irony of fate when she herself was brought into emergency of a private hospital in an unconscious state on July 29, 2012. The doctors worked hard to resuscitate her, but then Mrs Gupta had already slipped into the irreversible condition that is Brain death at the age of 59 years. The family was inconsolable, but being a family of doctors they understood the reality of the situation.
  
  The elder daughter and her husband (both physicians) were spoken to and counselled for organ donation by the Transplant Coordinator. They understood brain death and seemed open to the idea of organ donation. However, they were not too sure how the patients husband would respond to the same. However, the husband, Mr Gupta was also spoken to and he agreed too. He said, “My wife would have wanted to donate her organs�. He also shared how his wife had run around when his father died to donate the corneas. However it could not be done as there had been a sufficient delay. Other family members joined, younger daughter, her husband and her in-laws and some extended family. They were all explained the concept of brain death, how organ donation would take place, which all organs would be retrieved, etc. They were shown an animation of brain death as well so that there was complete clarity in their minds. They took the brave yet difficult decision to donate her organs.
  
  The family shared that they had seen the standee outside the ICU bearing a message on organ donation and had begun to discuss the possibility amongst themselves. Her patients have expressed immense grief and lose since her absence in the clinic, but then even in death she healed the lives of many.
  
  Place : Delhi
  
  Husband's Name    : Dr. Yogesh Chandra Gupta