Tirunelveli Kauvery Hospital Performs Transplant Using Kidney Donated by Mother under Cancer Medication

• The patient, a young man in his twenties, had suffered failure of both kidneys and had been on dialysis for the past year
• His mother, in her fifties, has been on cancer medication following surgery in 2023 to remove her left breast

Kauvery Hospital, a leading multispecialty hospital in the city, has recently performed a life-saving kidney transplantation on a 23-year-old patient, Ganapathy, a resident of Thoothukudi, who had been on dialysis, with the organ donated by his 53-year old mother, Bhagyalakshmi, who is under cancer medication following surgery to remove her cancer-affected breast a few years ago.

The kidney transplant surgery was successfully performed by Dr. P. Sankara Avudayappan, nephrologist, with the dedicated support of a competent, multidisciplinary medical team that included nephrologist Dr. J. Balasubramaniam, and surgeons Dr. Swaminathan, Dr. Anu, Dr. Palani, and Dr. Gautham. After ensuring that the transplanted kidney was functioning well, both the mother and the son were safely discharged.

In his comments, Dr. Sankara Avudayappan said, “Ganapathy had been suffering from complete kidney failure and was on dialysis for the past year. A kidney transplant was the only solution to end his ongoing ordeal. His mother, Bhagyalakshmi, selflessly came forward to donate her kidney. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery in 2023 for the removal of her breast as part of her treatment. The cancer was successfully treated with surgery and radiotherapy, and the disease is now under control with no spread. Although she is currently on hormonal therapy, she was found to be medically fit, and the kidney donation was a match. Hence, we proceeded with the transplant. Both the donor and the recipient are recovering well.”

Talking about the medical expertise and infrastructure of the hospital, Dr. K. Lakshmanan, Medical Administrator, said, “This successful kidney transplant stands as a testament to the clinical excellence and teamwork at Kauvery Hospital, Tirunelveli. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists, from nephrologists to anesthetists and critical care experts, came together to ensure a safe and seamless procedure. It’s deeply moving that the donor, the patient’s mother, came forward despite her own ongoing treatment journey. Her act of love, combined with our team’s expertise, helped relieve a young man from the painful burden of dialysis and gave him a new lease on life. This is more than a medical achievement: it’s a story of compassion, courage, and collaboration.”