Monika More Mumbai’s First Hand Transplant Patient
After falling into the gap between the train and the platform, Monika More has become Mumbai’s first hand transplant patient.
Monika More had lost her hands after falling into the gap between a train and a platform at Ghatkopar station in 2014. She was 16 year old at the time and was studying in class 11. She became Mumbai’s first hand transplant patient. The transplant was on 28th August. She was discharged from Global hospital, Parel, Mumbai on Saturday 26th September after being there for a month. Doctors treating her said that they received 24 more online and face to face inquiries for hand transplant
Hand transplants started about 22 years back in the West but in India it was neglected. Monika is the 12th in the country. Monika told the media, “It was my father’s dream. It will take me another year (12 to 18 months) to be able to use my hands fully well. I plan to be disciplined with my medication. Dr. Nilesh Satbhai, Plastic Surgeon who did the surgery said that Monika had registered for a transplant two years back but could not get any donors. Hands are an external organ and families are reluctant to donate them.
Monika’s luck changed when a software professional’s family agreed to donate his hands after he was declared brain dead in Global Hospital, Chennai. Her transplant lasted 16 hours and she was kept in a separate room for the next four weeks to reduce the risk of Covid. She could speak to her family only on video chat. Global Hospital CEO Vivek Talaulikar said that Monika’s hospital bill was Rs 36 lakh. She has received some donations and the hospital will help out too. He added that she will also need financial assistance as her medicines and physiotherapy would cost Rs 20,000 a month.
Monika added, “Earlier, I would avoid attending functions or weddings as I couldn’t apply mehendi on my hands. But after my hands get functional, I will apply mehendi, paint, and do activities such as eating, bathing, combing hair, and cooking on my own. I always wanted to become independent and I am happy that I will be able to do so.
