Deyaan Udani: Sydney’s youngest organ donor who saved four lives
Udanis with Deyaan and Naisha
By Manju Mittal
I had an overwhelming emotional meeting with the family of organ donor Deyaan at their residence in Sydney before I penned my heartfelt tribute to the young hero of Sydney.
We all live an ideal dream of a world full of hope, happiness with homes filled with laughter of family members around us. Our children form the basis of that foundation, the loving family we dream and envisage. We look forward to the time our children take their first step and say their first words, picking them up when they fall, we plan for their first day in school then graduation as they further grow. We lovingly watch over them, capture those moments through our observation and even through a camera lens so as to cherish the travesty of life which at times, one does not know what course it will take.
For Udani family time stopped short on January 30 this year. We are told that life is ever so fragile, but we never really know just how vulnerable it can be as the most unthinkable happened to this beautiful family. Destiny had something shocking planned for the young parents and their two children young Deeyaan and Naisha.
Seven year old, Deyaan Udani was on a vacation in Mumbai from Sydney, Australia with his family. He complained of a severe headache and was admitted to Nanavati Hospital on January 22, the day the family was due to fly back home to Australia. He was shifted to Hinduja Hospital on January 26 and diagnosed with severe blood clot in his brain. He underwent surgery but did not recover and succumbed as he breathed his last.
Deyaan was declared brain dead on January 30, following which the family put the lives of others over its own terrible grief when it decided to donate his organs. Deyaan was a healthy boy and what caused the condition could not be ascertained. “It all happened so fast that we did not have time to think even as doctors told us that Deyaan’s organs need to be donated within the hour according to the doctors at the hospital,” Udani family said.
Deyaan who went to school at Quakers Hill Public School in Sydney’s west, with his nine year old sister Naisha had learnt about organ donation in school only last year. How one can become an organ donor was the talk given at the school when both him and his sister came home to tell the story. At that time Deyaan said when he grows up he would like to be an organ donor and asked his mum as to how he should go about doing that. It was his wish to donate his organs and save lives. His mum just passed it off as an emotional response of a young child who can be innocent and pure at heart. But things unfolded in such a way that the family was left in utter shock having lost their dearest child as he lay limp just in a matter of days. Yet the grieving parents kept their poise and remembered Deyaan’s wish and how he had discussed to donate his organs. The family , though in shock, chose to donate his organs and save lives of four people including one young girl who was waiting for a heart transplant.
Coincidently the heart recipient was also seven, a Goregaon girl suffering from end-stage organ failure. She is recorded as the youngest patient to undergo a heart transplant in Mumbai. Deyaan donated more than a heart, his kidneys and liver too were harvested and the recipients of the kidneys both in Jaslok Hospital, were also young, aged 11 and 15, with the eleven year old again being the youngest to undergo a kidney transplant. The liver went to a 31 year old in Jupiter hospital, the most significant donations of all that was, was Deeyan’s heart.
Udanis are Jains by religion and said that their loss is so fresh that it hurts but the gift of life the recipients and their families have received helps comfort them with their own personal loss. They added their religion promotes organ donation and their guru has always motivated them to think like that. Deyaan’s mother Mili Udani is also listed as an organ donor. Mili said, “Deyaan was full of life and a happy boy with heart of gold. He always showed empathy to others. I feel schools in India should also educate children about this noble cause of organ donation.” Mili added that they will carry the message through the spiritual network of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission in India and abroad.
On February 14, when many were out celebrating Valentines’s day, the nine year old Deyaan’s sister Naisha addressed thousands of people in Dadar, Mumbai telling them how she was proud of her younger brother Deyaan for wanting to donate his organs. She also announced there, “I will donate my organs when I grow up, I am proud to have Deyaan as my brother”. Naisha’s speech made people like Mumbai’s Mayor Snehal Ambekar, filmmaker Shubhash Ghai, many police officers and even doctors, to commit to donating their organs.
Deyaan in India with Guruji Rakeshbhai
A mother of the young girl who received Deyaan’s heart was in tears when she said, “We are very grateful to Udani family for making such a courageous decision and offer a chance to others critically ill at a time when they are going through their own personal loss. Deyaan came into our lives like an angel and gave us the greatest gift ever.”
Rupesh, Mili and sister Naisha remembering their dear Deeyaan
Sydney should rise and salute this brave young hero Deyaan and his courageous parents Mili and Rupesh Udani and sister Naisha. Deyaan’s story is so captivating of a youngest organ donor who saved not just one but four lives. Since then I have personally registered myself as a donor. I believe helping others creates true and lasting happiness. Deyaan only lived for seven young years but he has achieved more than what some people can achieve in a lifetime.
Deyaan’s parents are very proud of their son and the gift he has given to the world. We are sure others of all ages will be moved by their courage and will be inspired to join the organ donor register. Remember this true young hero of Sydney ”“ Deeyaan who only last year had wished to donate his organs, little did he know that he would save lives of four others and inspire many more to commit to organ donation.
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