New Delhi: On November 15, 1998, Sanjay Kandasamy was only 20-months-old when a team of doctors from Delhi’s Indraprastha Apollo Hospital performed a life-saving liver transplant on him, making him the first paediatric liver transplantee in the country.

Twenty-five years since, Sanjay is now a doctor himself, practising medicine at a local hospital in his hometown in Kanchipuram and creating awareness among the rural pockets for organ donations and proving by example how a recipient can lead a completely normal life after surgery. He also did his residency at Apollo hospital in Bengaluru before moving back to his hometown.

“I was too young to remember the surgery itself, but I do remember asking my mother about the surgery scar on my abdomen. When I reached an age of understanding what my father did for me and how the doctors saved my life, I decided that I wanted to become a doctor too and save more lives,” Kandasamy said.

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Kandasamy was born with a congenital condition, biliary atresia, which is a liver disorder that causes a blockage in the tubes (ducts) that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder. This congenital condition occurs when the bile ducts inside or outside the liver do not develop normally. In his case, this condition also resulted in jaundice, which further worsened his condition.

When the proposal for a transplant was discussed with the family, Sanjay’s father agreed to become the donor without any hesitation. He is currently 61-years-old and is also healthy.

Dr Anupam Sibal, group medical director and senior paediatric gastroenterologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, who was also Kandasamy’s doctor, said that when the decision to perform a liver transplant on a 20-month-old child was taken, there was a lot of doubts and apprehensions.

“When something is done for the first time, you tend to be nervous and jittery, especially in a case where someone’s life is at stake. But Sanjay and his family showed a lot of courage and determination. He is a true example of how liver recipients do not have to compromise on their quality of life,” Sibal said.

Sibal, who is fondly called “doctor uncle” by Sanjay, recently also received an invitation from the Kandasamy family for his wedding in March.

“Children who undergo liver transplants lead an active life. Many of our patients continue to have great careers, they get married and have a completely normal life,” he said.

Doctors at Apollo Hospital also successfully conducted the 500th paediatric liver transplant to mark the 25th anniversary of Kandasamy’s transplant.

Twenty-seven-year-old Anjali Kumari, Prisha’s mother, who donated 20% of her liver to daughter, said that she is healthy and there have been no complications since the surgery.

“She is playful and has also gained weight. We stayed in Delhi for nearly three months till the surgery happened and we are so happy that our child will now be able to lead a normal life,” Kumari said.