A 19-year-old girl from Karachi, Pakistan, named Ayesha Rashan, recently received a life-changing opportunity in India. After enduring five years of heart complications, she underwent a heart transplant procedure at MGM Healthcare in Chennai.
Ayesha’s journey to India began in 2019 when she suffered a cardiac arrest and heart failure. Senior cardiac surgeon Dr. KR Balakrishnan, who was practicing at Malar Hospital in Adyar at the time, suggested a heart transplant as her best option. Placed on the state organ registry’s waitlist, Ayesha received a left ventricular assist device as a temporary solution while awaiting a transplant.
Despite returning home, Ayesha’s condition deteriorated further in 2023, with her heart failing on the right side and an accompanying infection. With limited financial resources, her family reached out to Dr. Balakrishnan, who advised them to come to India for treatment.
In September 2023, Dr. Balakrishnan’s team concluded that a heart transplant was Ayesha’s only viable option. Despite initial concerns due to the donor’s age (69 years old), MGM Healthcare’s Dr. KG Suresh Rao decided to proceed with the risky procedure, given Ayesha’s critical condition and lack of alternative options.
Following a successful surgery, Ayesha was gradually taken off life support, marking a significant milestone in her recovery. However, due to severe heart dysfunction and a valve leak in her heart pump, she required further medical intervention, ultimately leading to a complete heart transplant.
With the support of the NGO Aishwarya Trust, past patients, and medical professionals, Ayesha’s family managed to cover the substantial hospital bills. The total cost of the heart transplant procedure is estimated to be around 3.5 million Indian rupees.
Grateful for the financial assistance and exceptional medical care provided by the team at MGM Healthcare, Ayesha’s family expressed their appreciation, acknowledging that without their support, they wouldn’t have been able to afford the life-saving surgery. With Ayesha’s health now stable, she is set to return to Pakistan, ready to embrace her new lease on life.
