Child's plea to donate liver to father: Blessed are these parents, says Kerala HC

KOCHI: Blessed are the parents who have children like this, the Kerala High Court said while allowing the plea of 17-year-old Devananda PP to permit her to transplant a part of her liver to her ailing father.
In the judgment, justice VG Arun said, “It is heartening to note that the unrelenting fight put up by Devananda has finally succeeded. I applaud the petitioner’s fight to save her father’s life.Blessed are parents who have children like Devananda.”
Devanandan of Kolazhy in Thrissur approached the court through advocate PR Shaji as the law (Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 and its rules) does not allow donation of organ by a minor and allows it only on exceptional medical grounds and upon approval by an appropriate authority and the state government. Her 48-year-old father, Pratheesh PG, is suffering from Decompensated Chronic Liver Disease with Hepatocellular carcinoma, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The only way to save his life is through liver transplant and among the near relatives, only Devananda’s liver was found to matching.
Though the court sought the approval of the appropriate authority specified under the law, permission was denied by a three-member expert committee of doctors stating that Pratheesh is not a suitable candidate for liver transplant. However, a team of experts at the hospital where he was being treated filed a report stating that liver transplant is possible. The court asked the authority to reconsider the matter, by taking into consideration the medical report from the hospital, and the authority finally recommended for allowing Devananda’s plea. Based on the authority’s recommendation, the court disposed the petition by allowing Devananda to donate a portion of her liver to her father.