Mother’s love gives life again : 70 % of paediatric liver transplants at Wadia Hospital receive organ from mothers
Mumbai: Mother’s Day is a celebration of unconditional love, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child. But at times, motherhood goes beyond care and nurturing; it becomes an act of giving life all over again. At Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, mothers make the most courageous decision any parent can make: they donate a part of their own liver to save their sons’ lives. Their journeys are not just medical stories, but deeply emotional reminders of a mother’s strength in the face of fear, pain, and uncertainty. From sleepless nights in hospital corridors to standing strong through surgeries and recovery, these women choose hope over fear and resilience over exhaustion. This Mother’s Day, their stories shine as powerful examples of love that knows no limits.
Jyoti Vijay Singh, a 34-year-old housewife from Mumbai, is one such example of a mother whose courage became her child’s greatest hope. Her 6-year-old son, Priyansh Singh, was suffering from persistent abdominal swelling, loss of appetite, weakness, weight loss, and repeated episodes of fatigue, which slowly began affecting his daily activities and school routine 6 months ago. After detailed investigations including blood tests, imaging scans, and specialized liver evaluation, he was diagnosed with centrally located unresectable hepatoblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer seen in infants and young children between 6 months and 3 years of age. The cause of hepatoblastoma is usually idiopathic associated with various syndromes. The treatment was immediately started after the diagnosis.
Over the following months, Jyoti stood firmly beside her son as he underwent multiple cycles of chemotherapy, repeated hospital admissions, and emotionally draining treatment sessions. Despite the physical and emotional exhaustion, she remained his constant source of strength. Without timely intervention, the tumour could have rapidly progressed and spread to other parts of the liver, severely affecting its function. Due to the central location of the tumor, standard resection was not possible. Without a transplant the patient did not have any chance of cure. When liver transplantation emerged as Priyansh’s best and only curative option, Jyoti decided to donate the left lateral lobe (around 250grams) of her liver without hesitation. The complex transplant procedure was completed after 12 hours of surgery, giving Priyansh a renewed chance at life. Today, while continuing to recover after donating a part of her liver, Jyoti remains devoted to caring for her son and managing her family responsibilities with remarkable spirit.
Mothers embody a form of courage that is rarely spoken of, yet deeply felt. Their decisions are not driven by obligation, but by an unconditional instinct to protect their children, regardless of personal hardship.
At Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, these journeys are supported by a dedicated multidisciplinary transplant program that brings together pediatric surgeons, hepatologists, anesthetists, intensivists, oncologists, nursing teams, transplant coordinators, nutritionists, and social workers under one roof. The hospital’s pediatric liver transplant program represents the coming together of advanced surgical expertise and compassionate family-centred care. What makes this initiative especially meaningful is that it is being delivered within a public hospital framework, making highly specialized liver transplantation accessible to families who may otherwise never be able to afford treatment at large corporate institutions. Through institutional commitment, charitable support, and an unwavering focus on equitable healthcare, Wadia continues to ensure that children from all sections of society have access to life-saving transplantation.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Minnie Bodhanwala, CEO of Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, said, “Across India, living donor liver transplantation has become a vital lifeline for children with end-stage liver disease. A striking and deeply moving reality within this space is the role of mothers as donors. At Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, nearly 70% of our 16 pediatric liver transplants have been made possible by mothers who stepped forward to donate a part of their liver to their child. Every liver transplant at Wadia is not just a medical achievement; it is a story of hope, sacrifice, and humanity. What moves us most deeply is the extraordinary strength shown by mothers who willingly undergo major surgery so their children may live healthy and fulfilling lives. We remain committed to building a healthcare system where even the most advanced treatments are available to ordinary families with dignity, compassion, and excellence.”
This Mother’s Day, we honour these women, not only as caregivers, but as life-givers in the truest sense. Their strength reminds us that while medicine can heal, it is love that truly transforms outcomes.
