NJ Mom Shares Her Story of Loss and Triumph to Raise Awareness During National Donate Life Month

(Dayton/South Brunswick, NJ) – Observed in April each year, National Donate Life Month helps raise awareness about the lifesaving impact of organ and tissue donation and transplantation and honors deceased and living donors and celebrates the lives they saved. Locally, NJ Sharing Network, the federally designated nonprofit organization responsible for the recovery of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State, is leading a wide variety of community awareness activities and sharing inspiring stories of residents and families touched by the miracle of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. For more information, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org/DLM.

“Here in New Jersey, National Donate Life Month is a special time to honor our organ and tissue donors, celebrate those who received a lifesaving transplant, and offer hope to those waiting for the gift of life,” said Carolyn M. Welsh, President and CEO of NJ Sharing Network. “Our caring and compassionate team of dedicated staff, volunteers, and community partners are unstoppable in their efforts to help educate others during National Donate Life Month and throughout the year.”

Priya Kannusamy, 49, of Dayton/South Brunswick, NJ, is one of NJ Sharing Network’s passionate volunteers who proudly shares her remarkable life journey with the hope of registering people as organ and tissue donors. Her story is one filled with resilience and compassion marked by the impact of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. As both the mother of a deceased daughter who became a tissue donor and a living liver donor to her husband, Priya’s story highlights the transformative power of generosity and the mission of NJ Sharing Network.

Priya’s first encounter with the world of donation occurred in 2019 when her daughter, Swathi Prabhakar, 19, passed away. Swathi was an extraordinary young girl who faced the challenges of an extremely rare genetic metabolic disorder. Despite the limitations imposed by her condition, she embraced life with joy and touched the hearts of all who knew her. “Swathi found delight in princess stories, songs, and movies, and her infectious smile was her trademark,” said Priya. “When she passed away, our focus was on the life she lived and what she could pass on to others. I feel extremely grateful that her cornea and brain tissue donations were a way for her to pay it forward. It brings solace to us every day knowing that Swathi’s legacy lives on through the gift of sight for others. Her brain tissue donation is also helping move science forward through important research.”

While grieving the loss of Swathi, Priya’s husband, Venu Prabhakar, began to face critical health concerns related to his chronic liver disease. He was hospitalized several times and put on the liver transplant waiting list. In 2022, Priya stepped up to be living liver donor for a transplant surgery that saved Venu’s life.

“I did not want to see my husband suffer, and I was willing to do anything in my power to make him better,” said Priya.

Today, Priya and Venu are both living life to its fullest. They work, travel, play pickleball, take daily walks together, and spend quality time with their son, Surya Prabhakar.

Through her experiences, Priya has become a passionate advocate for NJ Sharing Network. She believes that every individual has the power to make a difference and leave behind a legacy of hope and healing for those in need.

“NJ Sharing Network played a crucial role in supporting us – from providing resources and information to offering compassionate care, they stood by our family every step of the way,” said Priya.

According to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), there are over 100,000 Americans – nearly 4,000 of whom live in New Jersey – waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. To learn more, get involved, and join the National Donate Life Registry as an organ and tissue donor, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.