Son’s medical gift to save dad’s life

A Ladysmith student gave his gravely ill father the ultimate gift by donating a much-needed kidney in a bid to save his life.

Tazriq Nehal, 24, and his 56-year-old father Ashwin Nehal are both on the road to recovery after the vital transplant was performed by a medical team at Lenmed eThekwini Hospital and Heart Centre in April.

Their story of hope comes as South Africa faces a serious shortage of kidney donors and ahead of World Organ Donation Day in August, an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation and encouraging people to register as donors.

Doctors say thousands of South Africans are on donor lists and many will likely die while waiting for suitable matches.

Both living donor and deceased donor programmes are essential for patients with end-stage kidney disease.

Nehal was given a second chance at life when his son became a living donor.

Three years ago doctors informed Nehal, a diabetic, he was in renal failure after he underwent blood tests. He was medically boarded and was referred to the hospital where he started dialysis and was listed for an organ transplant.

After confirming they both had the same blood type, Tazriq submitted himself for a battery of tests to establish if he was eligible to become a donor to his father.

“I thought to myself I had such a good opportunity that could change my dad’s quality of life completely. It wasn't a difficult decision to donate my kidney, because I knew that it would help him greatly. I didn't have to think twice about it,” Tazriq told TimesLIVE Premium.

“When my son offered to donate his kidney to me I was initially reluctant because I was concerned about his health in the long run,” said Nehal.

But he had a change of heart after his health began deteriorating further. 

“He offered again and I was more open to it as he and the medical professionals reassured me he was going to be OK and healthy with one kidney,” said Nehal.

Thousands of people are on waiting lists and many die each year waiting for a donor — it’s crucial that healthy people consider this.

—  Dr Shiven Ramkissoon

The hospital’s transplant coordinator set the ball in motion by explaining the process to the father and son.

A psychologist helped them to mentally prepare for the surgery before they were put through a series of scans and tests including cardiac, pulmonology and blood tests to ensure they were both eligible for the procedure.

Their medical team presented them to a panel of doctors for approval. 

After the panel gave them the green light, a final set of blood tests were performed to ensure they were infection-free.

“Our team comprised of 17 medical professionals, of which we had about eight doctors and the rest nurses. My surgery was a full laparoscopic surgery and I was under for about four-and-a-half hours while my dad's was open surgery and he was under for about one-and-a-half hours. It was a simultaneous operation where they staggered the time,” said Tazriq.

They were both placed in isolation wards after the surgery — Tazriq for four days and his father for a week.

“After that we were sent home to recover, but my dad had to be in isolation for three months because of the immunosuppressants. 

“We are currently in this period but have recovered well when it comes to our wounds. The initial pain is a bit intense but only lasts for about a week-and-a-half from the day of the operation,” said Tazriq. 

Nehal said his life changed significantly after the transplant. 

“It's such a good feeling not being on dialysis any more and each day is a better day and I feel as if I'm getting stronger.

“We are living proof that you can live a normal life and give somebody a second chance at life through transplant and organ donation.”

Cindy Goldie, hospital transplant manager, said for a patient whose kidneys have completely failed, a transplant is often the best chance to get off dialysis and regain a good quality of life. 

“But not everyone has a willing or compatible living donor, which is why deceased donor programmes are just as important. 

Urologist Dr Shiven Ramkissoon, who was part of the surgical team, said a father and son have a minimum 50% chance of a transplant match due to shared genetic material. 

“Even a 50% match can be successful, especially with modern immunosuppressive therapy, which relies on a multi-modal approach, using a combination of chemical drugs and biological agents to target different aspects of the immune response,” he said.

“Thousands of people are on waiting lists and many die each year waiting for a donor — it’s crucial that healthy people consider this.

“We are grateful this turned out well for the family, the father was dialysing at least three times a week so his productivity had significantly improved — he is in fact now back to normal,” said Ramkissoon.

Vascular surgeon Dr Vinesh Padayachy highlighted some of the challenges faced in the donor process.

“For one, not enough people are registered organ donors. Sometimes families are unsure about giving consent when a loved one dies. There are also practical challenges: hospitals may not have dedicated transplant coordinators, and there can be delays in identifying suitable donors in time. 

“On top of that, resources in the public sector are limited. All of this means many people stay on dialysis much longer than they should have to,” he said.

“Like any major operation, a kidney transplant does carry risks. In the early days after surgery, bleeding or a clot forming in the blood vessels supplying the kidney.

“More than 95% of patients are alive and well a year after their transplant, and most kidneys function well for many years. Long-term success depends a lot on taking medication exactly as prescribed and attending follow-up visits,” he said.