Woman, 33, dies in Bengaluru after donating part of liver to husband’s aunt

A 33-year-old woman died last Sunday after donating part of her liver to a relative at a private hospital in Bengaluru, Times of India reported.
Archana Kamath, who had volunteered to help her 63-year-old relative with a medical condition, tragically lost her life due to post-surgery complications. Although the procedure itself went smoothly, she later developed complications that proved fatal, according to the report.
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According to a TOI report, Archana Kamath underwent liver donation surgery on September 4, and remained in hospital for seven days before being discharged. After being discharged, Archana began experiencing discomfort and was hospitalised again, where she succumbed to an infection.
The brave heart was cremated in Kundapur on Monday and condolence meeting will be held on Wednesday.
As reported by TOI, Archana Kamath was a dedicated professional and a loving mother. She is survived by her husband, a chartered accountant, and their four-year-old son.
The relative Archana was donating to had been searching for a donor for over 18 months. That’s when Archana stepped forward to help. On the day of the transplant, the recipient’s son asked her if she was absolutely sure about the procedure, the report added.
As reported by TOI, Naresh Shenoy, trustee of Sevanjali Charitable Trust, described Archana as a brave soul whose sacrifice will be remembered by all. He also expressed hope that her story would inspire others to recognise the importance of organ donation.
Dr. Molly Chaudhuri, director of Manel Srinivas Nayak Institute of Management, where Archana worked, told TOI that Archana was an incredibly helpful faculty member and will be greatly missed.
Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta in his X handle wrote, “Even in her demise, she has left a valuable lesson of selflessness for all of us. Her willingness to dare and donate her liver to save a life with the firm belief that she was doing the right thing even at the risk of her life will be something she will be remembered for.”
While many praised Archana’s selfless act, opinions on social media were divided. One user expressed skepticism, saying it is really not a good idea for a 33-year-old woman to agree to donate her liver to sister of her mother-in-law, whose liver was 60% damaged. HT.com could not independently verify whether the recipient was the sister of the mother-in-law.
Well known Kerala-based hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips aka The Liver Doc remarked, “In my career as a transplant hepatologist, I have never seen a voluntary donation like this. The woman donated part of her liver to her mother-in-law’s sister.” He also noted that the cause of death is vague.
He also said, “80% of living organ donors in India are women while the men watch”
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