12 January,2017 07:00 AM IST | | Vinod Kumar Menon
26-year-old Mamta Shroff, an HR professional, recounts her journey -- from beating renal failure to completing the 7-km run to running the half marathon this Sunday
26-year-old one-kidney wonder prepares to crack 21-km Mumbai marathon
Mamta Shroff exercises at the Brahmakumari garden in Santacruz on Thursday morning. Pic /Nimesh Dave
Some run for fitness, some for the love of it, and some for the glory. And then there are those who run for a cause. Count 26-year-old Mamta Shroff, an HR professional, among the latter.
Come January 15, Mamta will run the dream marathon. Her mission: to spread awareness about organ donation.
For the last three months, she has been preparing for the 21-km run, unperturbed by the pain in her limbs, which is a result of the high dosage of immunosuppressants (6 mg daily) that she has had to take after her kidney transplant surgery a year-and-a-half ago.
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The Santacruz resident who works with an MNC in Vikhroli said, "I have no option but to run in my current state; I can't stop my medication. But I am determined to complete the run to spread awareness."
Against odds
Mamta suffered from sporadic bouts of high fever late in 2011. Though she wasn't well, she enrolled for an MBA in Human Resources in 2012. But soon after, her condition worsened. Tests showed high creatinine levels and kidneys affected due to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and hypertension.
In 2013, she enrolled for her postgraduation. Doctors tried to get her creatinine levels to stabilise, but, in early 2015, she had to undergo the transplant.
Run ready
"I want to forget those days of dialysis, which were painful... I would tell my brain that it was sweet pain and would heal soon; these words did wonders for me," she recalled.
"I was firm that I was not going to sit like a patient and whine. I wanted to show the world that nothing can stop one from achieving things in life. Hence, I decided to take part in the 7-km dream run in 2016, which I completed."
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In 2017, she enrolled for the half marathon. "I am confident that I will complete it in time," she said, adding, "I have to be at Worli Dairy by 5.30 am on January 15, and my parents will wait at Azad Maidan to receive me at 9 am."
Her father Kumar Shroff said, "It is because of god's grace that my kidney could match my daughter's requirement, and it is through her will and determination that she could complete the dream run last year. She wants to convey to the world that even with one kidney she is leading a normal life and wants to spread awareness about organ donation."
Doctorspeak
"There are a lot of patients with renal problems, those requiring organ transplant. After getting it, they can lead a normal life, and patients like Mamta are making people aware of this and setting an example," said Dr Rasika Sirsat, consulting nephrologist at Hinduja hospital.
"When she expressed her desire to run the 7-km marathon, we checked all her parameters and diet, and strictly monitored it. She ran without any problem. We are confident that she will complete the half marathon too."
