Ayesha Rashan, a 19-year-old resident of Karachi, recently underwent a life-saving heart transplant, courtesy of a 69-year-old organ donor in India, as reported by The Indian Express. The surgery, which amounted to over INR 3.5 million, was funded by an NGO and conducted in Chennai, culminating a five-year-long wait for the young patient. “I feel a sense of relief now,” Ayesha shared with the Times of India. “My goal is to finish my schooling in Karachi and pursue a career in fashion design.”

Ayesha’s journey began in 2019 when her family took her to India after she experienced a cardiac arrest and heart failure. A heart transplant was recommended by a senior cardiac surgeon, leading to Ayesha being placed on a waiting list. Meanwhile, she received temporary assistance from a left ventricular assist device to aid her heart in pumping blood.

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Returning home after the initial procedure, Ayesha’s health took a downturn in 2023 when her heart started malfunctioning on the right side, compounded by a leak in her heart pump. “It was heartbreaking to see my daughter suffer,” recounted her mother, Sanobar. “We reached out to the surgeon, expressing our financial constraints, but he urged us to come to India.”

After careful evaluation by Ayesha’s medical team in India, it was determined that a heart transplant was the only viable solution. The surgery took place on January 31, with Ayesha being discharged on April 17. The financial burden was alleviated through support from the NGO Aishwarya Trust, along with contributions from medical professionals and former patients.

“We took the decision to proceed with the transplant because the donor’s heart was in good condition, and we believed it was Ayesha’s best chance,” explained Dr. Suresh Rao KG, co-director at MGM Healthcare’s Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant. With her health stabilized, Ayesha has been cleared by her medical team and is now ready to return home.