Sarah, young girl who paves way for posthumous organ donation in country

Sarah Islam, a 20-year-old girl, was pronounced clinically dead on Wednesday (18 January) after being terminally ill since childhood from tuberous sclerosis. Her final act was termed 'heroic' by doctors as she is the first patient in the country to posthumously donate two kidneys and cornea.

"Donate my brain after my passing, if necessary. Give away anything you can for research as well," this was Sarah's last wish as cited by her mother Shabnam Sultana at a press briefing held today in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU).

"She used to say, just like Einstein perhaps one day my brain will be researched," she continued, adding, "If my daughter's brain had survived, maybe she could have saved another life."

On Thursday (19 January), doctors conducted the country's first-ever cadaveric kidney transplant (the process of transplanting kidneys from brain-dead medical patients). The recipients were two females in their 30s who are reportedly recovering well after the surgery. Separate surgeries were done at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU) and the National Kidney Foundation.

Sarah's mother, Shabnam, who is a teacher by profession, talked about her daughter's struggles due to growing up with the chronic disease, a rare genetic condition that causes mainly non-cancerous (benign) tumours to develop in different parts of the body, which she was diagnosed with at just 10 months old.

She said, "My daughter had a really hard time in school. Kids were too afraid to even sit next to her as she had tumours on her face. Surpassing all hurdles, she entered university to study Fine Arts. But her fight of two whole decades finally reached the finish line."

Sarah is the eldest child of parents Shabnam Sultana and Shahidul Islam. She is also survived by her younger brother. She passed her SSC from Agrani School and HSC from Holy Cross College with honors, then enrolled in Fine Arts at the University of Development Alternative (UDA). The young girl also enjoyed painting.

"I agreed to donate Sarah's organs after she died as per her wishes. It's almost as though she has revolutionalised the country's medical field, and saved at least two lives," Shabnam said.

"Posthumous organ donation has not seen the light of day in the country due to ambivalence and reluctance of relatives of brain dead patients. Doctors have expressed hopes that people will be encouraged to donate kidneys after death in the way shown by my late daughter," she added.

On paving a new path for organ donation in the country, Professor Habibur Rahman, proctor and head of Renal Transplant Department of BSMMU, said, "This wonderful person has done such an incredible thing. I was very emotional for a while. Sarah should be given the status of a hero as a tribute to her contribution."

"Many patients are dying due to lack of donors. If brain dead patients come forward, many others will survive. We want to start that journey with Sarah.

"BSMMU will propose to the government to give her a posthumous award to commemorate her contribution. Besides, we are making a plaque for the cadaveric cell of BSMMU to be named after Sarah. It has been decided that Sarah's parents will be invited to all functions of BSMMU and her family members will get free treatment at the hospital," he added.