Wife to donate kidney to husband during live-streamed surgery

Nagamani Turaga would do anything to help her husband — including giving him a piece of herself.

On Wednesday afternoon, she'll do just that. Turaga will donate a kidney to her husband, Bhargav, who is dealing with kidney problems that threaten to force the 45-year-old onto daily dialysis.

It's a gift that won't go unnoticed. Staff at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton are live streaming the transplant surgery online to raise awareness about kidney disease and the importance of organ donation.

The hospital's medical team will answer questions on social media both in and outside of the operating room during the transplant surgery.

I can handle myself, I've had two C-sections.- Nagamani Turaga

Turaga told CBC News that she just wanted to make sure her husband wasn't suffering.

"I decided, and I offered," she said. "But it's a mutual decision and support.

"I just want him to be healthy."

Bhargav's kidney condition first arose in 2006. Back then, it seemed manageable — but two years ago, that changed. Things suddenly deteriorated, and it looked like he could be forced onto dialysis for the rest of his life.

Instead, his wife offered to see if she was compatible as an organ donor.

"Luckily, I was a match," said the mother of two teen daughters. "God gave me two kidneys, so why not donate one?"

And she isn't at all bothered by the prospect of cameras being included during the surgery. "We're helping others through knowledge," she said. "We're not even really doing anything — we're just laying down."

Shining a light on teamwork

Dr. Darin Treleaven, St. Joe's medical director of kidney transplants, says they asked the Turagas if they would be comfortable with cameras in the operating room to "throw open the doors to the community" and show the work that the hospital is doing each week.

"The amount of teamwork and happiness that goes into a kidney transplant is astounding," Treleaven said.

The St. Joe's kidney transplant program is one of Ontario's largest, performing about two transplants a week. The program also cares for about 2,000 patients with chronic kidney disease, with 640 patients undergoing dialysis every day.

"It's my feeling that we need to reach out to the community and celebrate this work" Treleaven said. "We see parents [donate] to kids, co-workers to co-workers, old friends to friends."

The medical team will even be answering questions from inside the operating room during the surgery, with Hamilton's Saltfleet District High School joining in on the discussion online.

Treleaven calls it a "very safe surgery," which should not have any effect on Turga's quality of life.

For her part, Turaga says she's not even nervous.

"I can handle myself, I've had two C-sections," she laughed. 

Interested viewers can watch the surgery on Wednesday starting at 1:30 p.m. on the St. Joe's website.

[email protected]