A female nephrologist from Karachi made an extraordinary decision in the midst of unimaginable grief, donating both kidneys of her only son, who had been declared brain dead after a severe road accident.
The donation gave a second chance at life to two patients in need of transplants.
Syed Sultan Zafar, 23, a dental student at Ziauddin Medical and Dental College, was the only son of Dr Mahar Afroze, a consultant Nephrologist and Associate Professor at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT).
He was also the grandson of two prominent figures in Pakistan’s medical community: Prof Tipu Sultan and Prof Dr Shershah Syed.
Sultan’s father, Syed Furqan Zafar, passed away due to liver cancer a few years ago, Prof. Tipu Sultan has said.
He is buried at Kohi Goth, where the family operates a charity hospital. Sultan Zafar will be buried alongside his father.
Prof. Tipu described the tragic events, saying Sultan was driving with friends in DHA Phase 8 on Wednesday morning when he met a road accident.
He was brought unconscious to a hospital after suffering severe head injuries. Before being sent to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), he had a surgery to remove blood clots from his brain and was intubated.
“At 1am on Saturday, he had to undergo another craniotomy,” Prof Tipu recalled. “We spent those days in constant fear, unable to think about anything else.”
Sultan was shifted to a general ward after showing brief signs of recovery. However, by Tuesday morning, his condition worsened.
Prof. Tipu stated, “He experienced breathing difficulties, was moved back to the intensive care unit, and had to be re-intubated.” “By 4pm, his pupils were fixed and dilated, and he had lost all reflexes. The family was devastated.”.
“After over five hours of discussions outside the ICU, Mahar Afroze made the bravest and most selfless decision of her life to donate her son’s organs.”
That same night, Dr Afroze personally arranged for her son’s body to be taken to SIUT, recognizing the urgent need for cadaver organ donation.
“She is a nephrologist who witnesses patients dying every day due to the lack of organ donors. She wanted Zafar’s death to mean something,” said Prof Tipu.
Two dialysis patients at SIUT had their kidneys successfully transplanted after years of dialysis. Unfortunately, because there were no suitable recipients, no more organs could be donated.
Prof. Dr. Shershah Syed, Sultan’s grandfather, praised Dr. Afroze, saying, “She is not only a great doctor but also a courageous mother and a remarkable human being. She has served as a strong role model for Pakistani families and physicians. We are incredibly proud of her.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, SIUT confirmed the successful transplants. “The surgeries were performed in the early hours of the morning by a dedicated team of urologists and anesthetists,” the statement noted.
The institute also commended the family’s decision. “Dr Afroze’s donation, made in the midst of overwhelming grief, is being widely applauded by the medical community and the public,” the statement added.
SIUT Director Prof Adib Rizvi praised the move, saying, “The family gave the gift of life to two patients who had no living donors and had been on dialysis for years. We urge society to follow their example.”
“This act should serve as inspiration,” said Prof Tipu. “Mahar Afroze has lost her only son and is left with two daughters, yet she chose to give hope to others. That is the essence of humanity.”
