Mother Donates Kidney to Son: A Story of Courage, Loss and Resilience
KWF
From Kidney Donor to Athlete: A Mother’s Journey of Courage and Resilience
Born to run
I was born in Danapur, Bihar, and did my early schooling at Central School, Bokaro, Jharkhand.
From my early childhood, my parents encouraged me to stay physically active. They gave me a skipping rope and motivated me to run in the playground from the time I was in the first grade. I consistently stood first in athletics events during Annual Sports Day, and won the championship every year. I was also talented in music and often stood first in competitions.
This continued until the 6th grade. After that, my father was transferred to Katni, in Madhya Pradesh, where my school did not offer any sports activities. Later, in 11th standard, I joined Sacred Heart School, where I once again had the opportunity to participate in sports. When my sports teacher noticed my running speed, they encouraged me to take part in inter-school athletics competitions.
I began taking sports seriously from 11th standard with the full support and encouragement of my parents. Through dedication and hard work, I was selected to compete at the national level in both school and college.
At the age of 24, I got married, but my husband was not interested in sports. A year later, I gave birth to a son who went on to excel both in academics and sports. However, nine years later, my husband passed away. After his death, I moved to Pune to live with my brother, who works in an IT company.
Being a kidney donor
In 2004, I started working at a school. Soon after, my son, who was 19 years old, suddenly suffered kidney failure due to high blood pressure. The only option before us was a kidney transplant. Without hesitation, I decided to donate my kidney to him. Fortunately, I cleared all the required screening tests, and the transplant was carried out successfully.
It was during my son’s treatment that I met Dr. Mule at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. Meeting him proved to be a life-changing experience.
Life deals another blow
After the transplant, I started participating in the National Kidney Transplant Games. Every year, I won gold medals in athletics events. My son recovered well and we were both happy and strong.
However, in 2025, eleven years after the transplant, my son’s health began to deteriorate. Soon, doctors advised him to start dialysis three times a week. On 11th November 2025, I lost my son who was just 30 years old.
That was the most painful moment of my life.
Overcoming grief through sports
I returned to the sports field and resumed training to cope with my grief. With determination and inner strength, I once again won gold medals in athletics. Today, I have been selected for the World Transplant Games. I have also been selected to perform in the Pune Idol competition. Life has come full circle as I have been able to prove my mettle in both the areas that I was passionate about since my childhood.
Currently, I work as a Physical Education teacher at a school. I share my life story with my students to inspire and motivate them. I always tell them: “Never give up. One day, you will achieve your dreams.”
Mousumi, (donor to son)
Danapur, Bihar
