The GRT Generational Pride Award was presented to Ms. Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group, and Ms. Sindoori Reddy, Director – Strategy, Apollo Hospitals, whose collective contributions have significantly advanced healthcare in India. The award was given to them by Ms. Madhavi Radhakrishnan of GRT Jewellers and Ms. Nirmala Lakshman, Chairperson of The Hindu Group at The Hindu World of Women (WoW) Awards 2025, held on 28 March 2025. The event recognizes women achievers across various fields, including business, education, science, technology, sports, music, entrepreneurship, and social impact.

Apollo Hospitals Chennai has been recognised as a Center of Excellence in Endoscopy Services after successfully undergoing the ENDOSAFE audit. This prestigious recognition highlights the hospital’s unwavering commitment to delivering the highest standards in patient care, particularly in the field of endoscopic procedures. The audit results validate Apollo’s consistent efforts to improve healthcare outcomes through advanced technology, expert medical staff, and exceptional patient safety protocols. With this achievement, Apollo Hospitals reinforces its position as a leader in medical innovation and patient care excellence.

Apollo Hospitals today launched the fifth edition of its Health of the Nation 2025 (HoN-2025) report with a clear message: “Don’t wait for symptoms—make preventive health your priority.” Based on health screenings from over 2.5 million individuals across the Apollo ecosystem in India, the report reveals a silent epidemic—millions are living with undiagnosed chronic conditions despite showing no visible symptoms. Notably, 26% were found hypertensive and 23% diabetic despite being asymptomatic, underlining that a symptom-led healthcare model is no longer viable. Preventive health checks have grown exponentially as recorded by Apollo Hospitals, rising from 1 million in 2019 to over 2.5 million in 2024 — a 150% increase in just five years. This reflects a growing shift in public awareness and proactive engagement with preventive healthcare. The insights in HoN 2025 are drawn from de-identified electronic medical records (EMRs of preventive health checks), structured clinical evaluations, and AI-driven risk stratification across Apollo’s hospitals, clinics, diagnostics labs, and wellness centers. The report zeroes in on three urgent health challenges: fatty liver disease, post-menopausal health decline, and childhood obesity, emphasizing the need for early personalized interventions and lifestyle-based care models. Dr. Prathap Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals said, “India must rise to the opportunity of creating healthy, happy families by placing health at the heart of every household. Preventive healthcare is no longer a future ambition—it is the cornerstone of a nation's well-being today. This report affirms our collective responsibility to act early, screen deeply, and empower every citizen with knowledge and access. It is time to integrate preventive care into every educational curriculum, corporate benefits, and family routines. Only then, can we shift from treating illness to preserving health and ensure a resilient, healthier India for generations to come." Dr. Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals added, “The Health of the Nation Report reaffirms Apollo’s long-standing philosophy that the future of healthcare is early, data-led, and personalized. When 66% of people screened have fatty liver, 85% of them being non-alcoholic; it signals the urgency for new diagnostics and early detection at scale. Traditional screening is no longer enough. Apollo’s ProHealth program is not just empowering individuals to take control of their health; it is laying the foundation for scalable and predictive healthcare. The results from ProHealth show that with consistent follow-up and nudges and real-time data, we can create measurable population-level impact. Prevention is India's most scalable healthcare solution and Apollo’s mission is to democratize preventive health."

Rajeev is a fitness coach living the fast-paced metropolitan life! He is a bachelor in his late thirties, and has a great track record of helping his clients reach their fitness objectives.Even though he’s excellent at training others, he constantly neglects taking care of himself, ignoring persistent problems such as sweating profusely and experiencing shortness of breath when engaging in certain physical activities like walking fast for a short period or climbing a flight of stairs.One day, while climbing the stairs to his apartment, Rajeev began experiencing immense pain in his chest and consequently collapsed on the spot. Luckily, his neighbour found him and immediately called Apollo Hospitals.  Rajeev was rushed to the hospital without delay and was referred to Apollo’s cardiology team. His doctor ran an angiogram and found that he had a coronary artery disease that needed immediate surgery called Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG).This diagnosis shocked Rajeev as he always thought his breathlessness was a symptom of ageing and perhaps exaggerated due to lack of exercise. He never imagined in his wildest dreams that it was a symptom of an underlying heart condition – especially given the fact that he was not visibly obese and thought he  led a fit and healthy  lifestyleRajeev’s cardiologist at Apollo Heart Institute explained that early symptoms of coronary artery disease tend to go unnoticed, and the condition will worsen till there is enough arterial blockage to cause major symptoms and complications. Rajeev had a heart attack because the blood supply to his heart muscle had continued to deteriorate as a result of increased blockage of a coronary artery. The tissue was dying as blood flow to the afflicted portion of the heart muscle could not  be restored naturally.His cardiologist reassured him and asked him not to worry. He expressed confidence, given 10,000+ hours of combined experience in cardiovascular care possessed by Apollo, that they would  be able to treat Rajeev’s condition successfully and enrol him into a special post-operative recovery plan that would be highly effective in avoiding future complications and quickly achieving normalcy, the Apollo Healthy Heart program.What is the Apollo Healthy Heart Program?Introduced by the Apollo Heart Institute, Apollo Healthy Heart Program is India’s first-ever heart disease prevention and reversal program. This program is tailored to promote a healthy heart and reduce the risk of:heart diseasesstroke and heart attacksreversing the recovery from heart diseaseThis program is designed to keep patients informed about preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases through education and exercise. The Healthy Heart Program includes education and support on a variety of risk factors that can affect heart health, including diet, activity, cholesterol, and diabetes.The program’s goal is to help patients live well by lowering their risk of heart and blood vessel illness, as well as preserving and improving their heart health.But before joining this program, an emergency CABG surgery had to be performed  on Rajeev. Before we learn more on how Rajeev responded to the CABG surgery and the Healthy Heart program, let’s quickly look at what  coronary artery disease and CABG is.What is coronary artery disease and CABG?Coronary artery disease is a medical condition in which the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen to the heart ,  are blocked or become narrow due to the accumulation of plaque. Plaque creates a constriction or blockage in the arteries, leading to a heart attack. Chest pain or discomfort, as well as shortness of breath, are common symptoms.A Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, or CABG, is a surgical procedure performed for the treatment of coronary artery disease. It helps restore blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart by diverting blood around blocked or congested portions of the major arteries.What happened to Rajeev once the CABG was performed?Rajeev’s surgeon advised him to get the surgery as fast as possible, and eliminate the risk of heart attacks in the near future. He also explained that when this procedure was combined with a preventive healthcare program, the Apollo Healthy Heart programme , there wouldn’t need to be any more worries about this condition recurring.  The CABG procedure usually takes around 3 to 6 hours to complete, which in Rajeev’s case was close to 4 hours, and it was performed under general anesthesia.Post-surgery, Rajeev was advised to stay in the hospital for close to 7 days. During his recovery, his cardiologist took him through the Apollo Healthy Heart program and educated him on why this program was essential for him, going forward.What benefits did Rajeev gain by joining the program?On joining Apollo Healthy Heart program, Rajeev was educated on various healthy lifestyle practices and was able to assimilate  the following information, tips and health-linked regimens:His ability to exercise and carry out activities was checkedHis blood cholesterol was checkedHis risk of heart disease was checkedHe received education about his heart healthHe received counseling regarding his dietHe received an exercise regimenHe received sessions on yoga and meditationHe received education from a social worker on smoking cessation,  depression and stress managementApollo Healthy Heart program also offered Rajeev the following additional benefits:Quarterly Healthy heart doctor consultationQuarterly cardiologist consultationQuarterly dietary consultationQuarterly physiotherapist consultationQuarterly social worker consultation for patient educationQuarterly yoga and meditation consultationWeekly and monthly calls by a Healthy Heart doctor to ensure compliance with the programApollo Healthy Heart Program helped Rajeev get back on track!Rajeev had to undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) to restore blood flow to his heart muscle after a blockage of one of his coronary arteries. While the surgery was highly effective, Rajeev understood the importance of maintaining a clean, healthy lifestyle; and Apollo Healthy Heart program was the right platform to get him started on this journey.We must keep in mind that Rajeev’s case is not unique. With many working professionals completely dedicating their time and energy to their jobs, the prevalence of heart diseases is at an all-time high. People, especially working professionals, need to be educated on the importance of putting health first, and building a healthy and sustainable lifestyle around it. That’s why it’s highly recommended to join Apollo Healthy Heart program to gain complete control of your heart’s health and avoid life-threatening situations (like heart attacks) from happening in the future.

Balaji is a businessman who owns a garment shop in one of the busiest streets in Chennai. He travels to his shop on his two-wheeler, threading through heavy and chaotic traffic every day. His job requires him to sit for long hours overseeing his staff and to wait on clients, and he smokes on occasion, primarily to while away time, waiting for potential customers. There are numerous eateries, bakeries and street vendors selling various food items in the vicinity of his shop, and as a result, Balaji finds himself snacking frequently.On one unremarkable Wednesday evening, Balaji received a WhatsApp forward [AJS1] from his relative for Apollo’s ‘AICVD program’. Little did he know that this was going to change his life! AICVD is an AI-driven diagnostic program introduced by Apollo Hospitals that can predict the onset of cardiovascular problems.Intrigued, Balaji decided to enrol in the program. Also, quite a few years had passed since his last checkup, and he felt it was about time he got a health check done as well. He was also eager to see the kind of analysis an AI system would generate.On the day of the AICVD test, Balaji was feeling extremely confident that his results would come back normal. At this point, Balaji was more interested in finding out how well an AI could predict possible medical conditions or whether it was just another marketing gimmick.When Balaji walked into Apollo Hospitals for his test, he was greeted by an Apollo expert who guided him through the program and explained how it worked. After the test was administered, he was asked to wait for the results. Balaji waited patiently, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.However, to his dismay, when the results arrived, he was diagnosed with ‘high risk’  category for developing cardiovascular diseases! Using AI to save lives!The test results were a little hard to digest for Balaji, and as expected, he had a lot of queries for his Apollo expert. Balaji was beginning to feel a little anxious and agitated after the results. Noticing this, the Apollo team of experts reassured him and asked him not to be alarmed. They told Balaji that this test was the first step in preventing any major cardiovascular incident, and he should be glad that he got the test done in time before he suffered any major issue.The Apollo expert also explained the fact that more than 60% of morbidity and mortality in India is due to Non-Communicable Diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases. The Apollo expert further explained that the best way to beat cardiovascular diseases is to prevent them, and the first important step in any prevention program is risk assessment. [AJS2] Therefore, to develop a strong prevention care built on accurate risk assessment, Apollo Hospitals, in collaboration with Microsoft India, developed the ‘first-ever’ Artificial Intelligence-based cardiovascular diseases (CVD) Risk Score API (Application Program Interface) called the AICVD. The AICVD program is designed to predict the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in the Indian population. This program has been validated by Maastricht University, Netherlands and King George Medical University, Lucknow. About the AICVD program  The Apollo expert guiding Balaji explained how the AICVD program is found to be more accurate and effective than other routine body check-up programs, and the fact that it aims to reduce healthcare costs for patients by promoting preventive healthcare. The key objective of AI-powered Risk Score program is to develop a more accurate risk prediction model to avert cardiovascular diseases in high-risk groups.AI provides a more accurate risk scoreThe Apollo expert explained that the Cardiovascular Risk Score algorithm was built using more than 500,000 patient records from Apollo Hospitals. This AI-based program predicts the 10-year risk of a person having a potential cardiovascular problem such as a heart attack or a stroke, with almost 90% accuracy.The risk estimate considers factors such as age, gender, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, medication use, and diabetic status. The scoring also considers other risk contributors including lifestyle attributes such as diet, tobacco and smoking preferences and physical activity. The other clinical parameters factored in the assessment include psychological stress and anxiety as reflected via the rate of respiration, hypertension, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These factors are shown in the table below:Patient ParametersMedical HistoryLifestyle     Heart Health AttributesAge HypertensionDiet Heart SymptomGenderDiabetesAlcoholHeart rateHeight DyslipidaemiaSmokingSystolic BPWeightHistory of Heart DiseasePhysical activityDiastolic BPBMIFamily History of Heart Disease Pulse Rhythm   Respiration RateThe combination of AI, along with the expertise in cardiovascular care offered by top specialists at Apollo Hospitals, helps prevent heart diseases, saves lives and ensures that  those with existing or potential heart diseases can make informed choices about their health. Benefits of AICVDConvinced about the AICVD program, Balaji wanted to know how AI helps Apollo Hospitals provide better predictive outcomes for serious health conditions like heart-linked diseases. The health expert told Balaji that the AI-driven approach is being used extensively at Apollo Health Check centers to provide personalized insights for high-risk patients, including  a study involving a selected cohort of thirty-three thousand patients. Importantly, this is also the first time an AI-based cardiovascular risk score has been generated after analyzing India-specific data, tailored for the Indian population. The entire data generation, analytics, and clinical decision support system is integrated into the organization’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR), making it easier for activities such as patient follow-ups and eventually lowering their risk profiles. The Clinical Decision Support System provides a mechanism for the physician to prospectively identify relevant risk factors and advice patients on how to reduce identified risks.The AICVD Risk Score empowers physicians to look at patients with risk more holistically and provide insights to patients for lifestyle modification and timely interventions. The program benefits both patients and physicians in helping them decide on treatment modalities, prevention, lifestyle modification, education, overall prediction of the outcome of cardiovascular conditions and risk for further events.Balaji peeked into the future and felt he needed to make changes  On assessing the results of the program, and getting them validated by his Apollo expert, Balaji decided to make calculated changes to his lifestyle to prevent the possibility of developing heart conditions in the future. He also understood the vast advantage that AI brings in vis-à-vis preventive healthcare by providing accurate results for patients, and as a result, he got his family members to enroll in the program as well. Guided by the results, he decided to quit smoking, walk, or cycle to his shop at least thrice a week, and consciously avoided fried items and snacks while working at his shop. All of these steps have led to positive changes for Balaji and he is now leading a more fulfilling and healthier life.

Anil, a 53-year-old businessman, was driving to a shopping mall with his family one fine Saturday evening. This was the second mall they were visiting this day. It was the middle of the festive season, and Anil had been tied up with work calls all afternoon. And now, he was in the middle of snarling traffic heading towards another packed mall.With all the work stress,  coupled with constant travel and carrying around heavy shopping bags, Anil began to feel a little overwhelmed. He noticed he was also experiencing tiredness and sudden shortness of breath. He thought this could be because of his overweight frame and all the walking and stress that was getting to him, maybe making him feel more tired than usual. Or it could be diabetes-induced fatigue as he was diabetic as well. After a short rest, Anil continued as if everything was normal. After close to an hour, as Anil was parking his car in the mall, he started feeling a tightness in his chest and a tingling sensation running up his arms. Anil knew something was wrong, and he immediately told his wife, who called Apollo Hospitals without delay. Anil was swiftly taken to the hospital and admitted to the emergency room. Anil suspected he was experiencing a heart attack, and what worried him the most was how his diabetic condition might complicate the treatment.What did Anil and his family do right?Anil’s wife made the right decision by admitting him to Apollo Heart Institute. With more than 500 cardiologists and 200 cardiothoracic surgeons working across the country, Apollo Heart Institute has the largest Cardiovascular team in the world with a combined experience of more than 10,000 years! Anil’s wife instinctively knew that a hospital like Apollo would have more experience treating patients with existing ailments like diabetes and hypertension. Armed with the latest in heart care, such as the robot-assisted Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS), Apollo Hospitals represented the best chance for Anil to make a full recovery and resume a normal life with his family. Having advanced facilities, including all the necessary experience and expertise, Anil’s family made the right choice for him – giving him the best shot at getting through this crisis by bringing him to Apollo Heart Institute.What is MICS?As the name suggests, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS) is a surgical procedure that involves making small keyhole incisions and inserting a tiny tube with a camera attached at the tip, rather than cutting through the breastbone, as is done in traditional open-heart surgery.  Primarily used to avoid traditional open-heart surgeries, MICS is also known as ‘Keyhole surgery’ due to the keyhole size of the incisions made, through which the surgical procedure is performed. The advantages of MICS over traditional open-heart surgeries are:High precision for surgeons, with robotic assistance enabledBetter view of the heart through the cameraMinimal blood lossFaster recovery timeLess risk of injury to internal tissues and organsSubstantially lower risk of infectionLower pain and decreased chances of traumaBook An AppointmentHow did Anil prepare for his MICS treatment?After conducting an angiogram (a diagnostic procedure used to detect blockages in arteries and veins), Anil’s doctor found that Anil had plaque built up in his artery, which was causing him chest discomfort (pain) and shortness of breath. The Cardiologists at Apollo Hospital’s renowned Cardiology department, in turn suggested performing a MICS procedure at the earliest. Anil was wary of surgery due to his pre-existing diabetes. He knew that the chances of complications in diabetic patients were higher from the various sources that he had referred to online. He voiced his concerns to his surgeon, and he was relieved that the procedure which was to be performed upon him had significantly lesser complications caused by existing medical conditions due to the non-invasive nature of the procedure. Anil’s surgeon also told him that this surgery would be assisted by a robotic arm, which completely vastly reduces the chances of human error and substantially improves precision and surgical performance. On hearing this, Anil felt much better and significantly more confident about undertaking the surgery. How did the robotic-assisted procedure help Anil’s surgeon treat his heart condition?Before prepping for the procedure, Anil’s surgeon explained how the procedure would be performed and how  robotic assistance would help during the surgery.A robot-assisted heart surgery involves the surgeon using robotic arms, rather than his/her hands, to perform the exact surgical manoeuvres that’s used in traditional open-heart surgery. During this procedure, the surgeon works at a remote console and views the patient’s heart through a magnified high-definition 3D view on a video monitor. From the console, the surgeon’s hand movements translate precisely to the robotic arms at the operating table, which operates identically to the human wrist.A second surgeon and surgical team assists at the operating table, changing surgical instruments attached to the robotic arms.With Apollo’s robotic assisted MICS, cardiologists at the Institute were able to:Substantially decrease the chances of complications that develops during the surgeryMinimize blood lossRecover quickly from the surgeryAvoid the risk of infection at the incision site due to small scars left behind the surgeryHow did Anil find his post-operative recovery after MICS?After the surgery, Anil was taken to the ICU, where the surgical team kept him under observation. Due to the non-invasive nature of the procedure, Anil was able to recover quickly and was moved to a regular hospital room within a day itself. In the hospital room, Anil was able to meet his family and relatives, and he told them about how the surgery went and was relieved that his diabetes did not cause any issues with the procedure. In sheer excitement, he explained how robotic assistance benefited his surgeon greatly in performing the procedure, and at no point in time of the procedure, was he scared. After one more day in the hospital room, Anil was discharged from the hospital and was able to return to his home with his family. His surgeon prescribed medication to help Anil fully recover from the surgery and suggested subscribing to the Apollo ProHealth program so that he and his family could avoid such health scares in the future and take effective preventive steps.Innovative technologies can help save people’s lives!At Apollo Hospitals, we believe cutting-edge technology can help us save people’s lives, and with robotic-assisted surgery, patients like Anil have a better chance at living a normal, fulfilling life with their families, and at the same time minimize the risk of any life-threatening conditions after major surgery. In this instance, Anil benefitted from a MICS procedure that was handled by a surgeon but surgically performed by a robot. 

Ms. Reddy, vice-chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, in an interview with The Hindu, says the group has been working closely with the States and Central government and has initiated a comprehensive response plan to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic

A sick baby gets a liver transplant overcoming multiple hurdles during emerging covid timesHow soon after transfer can you do the liver transplant? Thus, came the query from the treating hepatologist of baby N from Malaysia. Within 24 hours in an emergency, perhaps a little longer for international patients depending on the paperwork and permissions from the embassy, was our prompt assurance.Baby N had been jaundiced since her early neonatal period and when it didn’t resolve over the next few weeks, detailed evaluations led to a diagnosis of biliary atresia. She had the most severe syndromic form with dextrocardia, heterotaxy with midline liver, malrotation and polysplenia. A Kasai portoenterostomy was performed on day 55 of life along with corrective surgery for the malrotation. Despite the timely Kasai procedure that entails a hepaticojejunostomy with the aim to establish biliary drainage, her disease continued to progress rapidly and she had decompensated liver disease by the time she was 6 months of age and had an episode of upper GI bleed due to advanced portal hypertension. She needed a liver transplant, the only definitive curative treatment for her condition that remains the leading indication for pediatric liver transplant in most parts of the world.We were sent the clinical details and with a donor identified, by end February all preparations to travel to us had been made by the family. Tickets booked and ready to fly but baby N’s route was on a different tangent. She developed severe pneumonia and encephalopathy landing her into intensive care. Sir Henri Bismuth, one of the pioneers of liver transplant had very poignantly and precisely said “The worst complication of liver transplant is to die without receiving liver transplant”. Every life deserves a chance that innumerable babies who die in similar situations never get. As though refusing the flight to Heaven, baby N improved and once stabilized was put on a flight to India only after the precondition of an urgent transplant was accepted by the receiving team.The covid pandemic had erupted and was increasingly engulfing the world when baby N reached India in the second week of March. Travel restrictions were not yet in place but quarantine requirements for selected nationals were mandatory. Malaysia was not amongst them. The dawn after the night they landed was to throw all plans haywire with the advisory coming from the Govt of India to quarantine for 2 weeks all travelers from Malaysia as well,  as quite a few coronavirus cases had been reported  in the country.    The family was devastated, the medical team in deep dilemma. Baby N was presently stable but could deteriorate any time considering her end stage liver failure. To deny a life saving surgery for fear of an infection that she may never be carrying in the first place, how ethical was that? Nevertheless, she could very well be in the incubation period and what outcome could be expected if she received a transplant and then manifested covid disease? How could her donor, her mother, a healthy beautiful young woman be subjected to a surgery that would place her at grave risk if she was infected? How could the medical staff be exposed to the risk? Covid testing was under government regulation and not yet available in private hospitals. It was only offered to symptomatic individuals in select government hospitals as testing kits were limited. Request for covid testing for baby N and her parents was denied by the requisite authorities as most surgeries had been put on hold. Also, a negative test would still not forego the mandated quarantine. The disease was very new to India, very little was known of the virus and treatments were just being researched. Fears were high, the thin line between being brave and being reckless was obscure. The transplant would have to wait. Would baby N be a covid mortality regardless of her covid status? The time bought was used as an opportunity to build her nutritional status and she inched closer to her new life as she continued to remain stable and gain weight with each passing day despite her alarmingly high bilirubin levels of about 45 mg/dl.  As she neared the end of 2 weeks, covid testing also became available to us and both mother and daughter tested negative. Her transplant was finally scheduled to happen, or was it? Exactly 14 days after her arrival, the effect of the dangerously high bilirubin levels on the SA node of a dextrocardiac heart led her to develop heart block. With heart rates between 40-45/minute, she was again in intensive care with medical therapies instituted for the heart block. Doses were hiked and titrated with no response. Would a plasmapheresis to reduce the bilirubin help? With its attendant risks in this scenario, the option was not chosen. She would require a pacemaker. Temporary pacing was started before she was taken up for the complicated transplant surgery considering her abnormal anatomy. Perhaps as a concession for all her trials and tribulations, the transplant surgery was accomplished without any major intraoperative and postoperative complications. Death had in fact chosen to quarantine itself from baby N and let her bloom into a lovely radiant little girl, a marvel of human resilience, modern medicine and divine grace.

Enrapturing victory, success and joy…his name “Nihaal” embodies all that he stands for. His journey is a miracle that truly enraptures our heart and soul, leaving even the hardest nonbelievers with a faith that says there stands a power far greater than you and I are.Second year into their marriage, Nihaal’s parents were worried. They were hoping for a baby. The elders in the family like most ones in Indian families had started enquiring for the “good news”. A series of tests and visits to the gynecologist shattered their dreams. Nihaal’s mom, Navnita had severe tubal blocks in both tubes, surgical correction was tried but a spontaneous conception would be “impossible”, they were told. A natural pregnancy without assisted reproduction techniques would be a “miracle”.We have all heard fairytales and fables about miracles. Do they really happen? Aren’t they just figments of imagination handed down generations to reinforce a belief in a higher force? Here were miracles, not one but one after another that were to unfold in their lives. The first was Nihaal’s natural conception.Navnita’s happiness knew no bounds when she realized she was expecting her first baby, the ‘impossible” had happened. Nihaal came into this world bringing joy and ecstasy into their dejected hearts. A few weeks of blissful parenting and their joys were replaced by fears. Soon after birth Nihaal developed jaundice that refused to go away. Detailed evaluations in the 3rd month of his life revealed he had biliary atresia wherein the biliary system, a network of channels that drains bile produced in the liver to the gall bladder has blockages causing liver damage due to bile stasis.Over the next few months he developed progressive liver failure and was practically in and out of hospital. They were referred for a liver transplant, without one he didn’t stand a chance. His parents were devastated. They had thanked their stars for his birth, wondered what past good deeds had manifest this miracle into their lives. Was their faith in the Divine being tested? They couldn’t afford a liver transplant, they couldn’t afford to lose Nihaal either. Nihaal was too precious to be lost, their hearts bled at their predicament.Nihaal was too precious to this universe as well. Another miracle was about to unfold, a person unknown and unrelated to them was about to become his guardian angel. The transplant team had put in an appeal on national television seeking financial help. Herein, stepped in a person with a heart of gold, one who is revered by his fans for his cricketing skills, his wit and his down to earth persona. Navjot Singh Sidhu put in 18 lacs to cover for his surgery and the recurring lifetime cost of his medications without letting out a word for publicity. To give is great, to give silently is divine. The only bank that can never go bankrupt is the bank of selfless love.The hospital chose not to charge for the transplant apart from the six lacs to be spent on the consumables. The remaining twelve would be put into a fixed deposit and the interest pay for the monthly immunosuppression medications. Does this bring us to the end of the story? All hurdles sorted, successful surgery and happily ever after? Man proposes, God disposes. There was another miracle waiting to happen, one that would jeopardize all their plans, that seemed more of a setback than a blessing.All pretransplant assessments for Nihaal were complete. Navnita, his mother, being the same blood group as Nihaal was to be the liver donor. Her ultrasound abdomen done as part of assessment before surgery left her flabbergasted. She was in the 3rd month of another pregnancy, one that she was totally unaware of. She had been declared infertile at one point of time, and here she was with another pregnancy!She wept her heart out and steeled herself. She had to save Nihaal, and she contemplated an abortion. She asked to confirm how soon after an abortion could she go in for the donor surgery. Today, she credits the life of both her children to our team. We put our foot down, no abortion. She would not be the donor. There was no guarantee Nihaal would survive the liver transplant, was she prepared to live with the loss of both her children if Nihaal didn’t make it?As if the whole universe had conspired to bless them with a happy family, Nihaal had another guardian angel up his little sleeve. An aunt with Nihaal’s blood group showed great magnanimity and came forward to donate a part of her liver. After all these miracles, how could the miracle surgery that has revolutionized the course of this disease ever go wrong? All went well. Both Nihaal and his aunt recovered very well after their surgeries.Today, more than a decade after Nihaal’s transplant, with his younger brother in tow, they constitute one  blissful family. They have been truly blessed beyond their fondest dreams. They live in gratitude for providence has brought them their highest good for their greatest joy.Clinical perspectiveNihaal has had a miracle run in the clinical context as well. He had a smooth surgery and postoperative course. On follow up, he has done remarkably well with no late post transplant complications.

Lord Ram’s banishment to the woods had ended in 14 years, imprisonment sentences for even the severest of crimes end in 10 to 14 years. What had she done to deserve such a punishment? Samreen’s mother wondered. She had been married for almost 17 years and was yet to beget a child of her own. It is said that motherhood completes a woman and brings out the best in her. Would she ever experience it? She had suffered repeated miscarriages that had completely drained her body and soul. Pregnant again, she prayed fervently for the successful outcome of this pregnancy. But she had been praying for years and years, she had begun to ask herself – was there a God?The cry of her newborn baby seemed like a call from the heavens above to uphold her faith. She had never been happier! No sound sweeter! Her husband wept like a baby. They had finally become proud parents to a baby girl. They named their new born jewel, Samreen.Sadly, their joy was short lived. They had not even settled into their newfound roles, not even learnt to change the diapers properly that their visits to the hospitals began. Samreen had jaundice, and then began visits from one doctor to the other. At 5 months of age, she vomited blood and was hospitalized at Islamabad.  She was detected to have progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, a condition in which liver cells are less able to secrete a digestive fluid called bile. Build up of bile in the liver cells leads to liver failure.She would require regular medications, but there was no way to prevent her liver disease from progressing. She had developed portal hypertension and had repeated episodes of bleeding from her gut necessitating blood transfusions and endoscopies. Every bleeding episode was a potential threat to her life.Her parents were devastated. It seemed like a sword always dangled over their head. Her mother would go paranoid thinking she would bleed again. She was all but 3 years in age, what years of prayers had brought seemed to be slipping out of her hands. Questions plagued her mind, had she asked for something that was not meant for her? Was the joy of motherhood not destined for her? Is that why they were suffering? Could God be so ruthless?  She would go crazy with grief. Was a gift, a gift at all if it was to be snatched away so soon?  But Samreen was destiny’s child. She was meant to live. Her doctors in Pakistan advised her for a liver transplant. It was the her only hope. Her parents were terrified of such a major high risk surgery. They chose to put their trust in the Divine and came to India for a liver transplant.The surgery was a success and she recovered wonderfully. She did have postoperative infections that were treated well. She went home after about 5 weeks in hospital. Finally, life for Samreen and her parents had begun.The Clinical Perspective Post transplant Samreen developed chickenpox. She did receive prophylaxis but still suffered the infection. As all post transplant patients are on medications to suppress their immunity and chickenpox is highly contagious, an outbreak in the postsurgical unit would have been devastating. She was immediately isolated and all precautions taken.

“Ayubowan” – May you have the gift of long life! With this traditional Sri Lankan greeting Dhanundhara was welcomed to his place of birth by his grandparents. Just as this tear shaped island country is the sparkling jewel of the Indian Ocean, so was Dhanundhara the jewel of his family, doted by one and all.All of 3 years, he was too small to express in poetic language the natural beauty of his country. The magnificent coastline along azure seas lined with palm trees, sun drenched beaches, lush green jungles, cool refreshing hills had a magical effect on him – transforming him from the quiet reserved child that he was, to a chirpy kid squealing with joy at every new experience.His parents had migrated to UAE and it was his skin condition that had brought them on this trip. Dhanundhara suffered from vitiligo, a skin disease that causes white patches on the body. Full of its traditional heritage as their country was, they banked on an alternative medicine therapist to try and heal him with herbal medication. Sadly, it became the source of their nightmare.He had been on his herbal medications for a few weeks when he began to have fever and then vomitings and jaundice.  He had developed hepatitis, ie inflammation of the liver. His parents took him to back to Abu Dhabi for medical care but his condition progressively deteriorated. He had developed acute liver failure and was susceptible to life threatening bleeding or coma if his liver function continued to deteriorate any further. He needed an urgent liver transplant.Emergency contact with the team of liver specialists at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals was made and he was flown to India. It was inferred from his clinical course and diagnostic workup that he had developed liver failure due to the herbal medications as all tests for an infective cause or underlying silent chronic liver disease were negative.Preparations were started and he was admitted to the intensive care unit. It was a herculean task to care for him. He would speak little and would resist blood tests with all his might. His long dark curly hair made the staff mistake him time and again for a girl, causing him to sulk further. Only his mother could understand his agitated state of mind behind his quiet persona that gave a false perception of tranquility. She was his magic charm and became his donor, giving him life twice.The transplant surgery was a success and he was off the ventilator within a few days. When all seemed fine, arose another problem. He would not accept his oral medicines. He hated them. He had always been averse to taking medicines, said his mother. He would just shut his mouth and require coercing for hours together, becoming agitated when forced. After undergoing a transplant one needs to take regular medications, to prevent the body from rejecting the new liver.  Am I going to struggle daily to administer them, wondered his mother. For a few days, his oral feeding tube was not removed after surgery so that he could be given his medications. The magic charm that his mother was, she gradually and loving brought him around and he slowly overcame his strong aversion to medicines.By the time of discharge, his syrups didn’t anger him, the needles and syringes didn’t terrify him. All he wanted was to go home to live the life he had been blessed with.The Clinical Perspective Acute liver failure is a grave medical emergency as the mortality risk is very high. An urgent liver transplant has to be arranged before the patient develops complications involving the brain, kidneys and other organs that would render a transplant unfeasible and/or futile. Dhanundhra had to be airlifted to our hospital from UAE at a very short notice. Meticulous preparations ensured he underwent a timely transplant.