Heart Transplant Recipient Welcomes Baby Girl Nearly Four Years Later

Dr. Sanjana Kochhar, a general practitioner from Liverpool, England, has welcomed her first child nearly four years after receiving an emergency heart transplant.

Kochhar was critically ill in October 2022 when she suffered multiple organ failure and was placed on the urgent heart transplant list. She received a donor heart about four weeks later and was discharged from hospital on Christmas Eve that year.

A Medical Emergency

Kochhar first experienced heart palpitations and breathlessness when she was younger. Medical examinations later revealed serious damage to her heart.

In 2022, her condition suddenly deteriorated. She developed multiple organ failure and needed an urgent transplant as her health continued to worsen.

A Donor Heart Changes Her Life

After receiving a donor heart, Kochhar began a long period of recovery and eventually returned to her life and medical career.

She later made contact with members of her donor’s family and expressed her gratitude for the gift that allowed her to survive.

A New Chapter

In August 2026, Kochhar and her husband Paul welcomed a baby girl. She shared the news around World Heart Day on September 29.

The birth marked a major new chapter in Kochhar’s life, coming almost four years after she had been critically ill and awaiting a transplant.

A Bench With a Special Meaning

The British Heart Foundation has also dedicated a living memorial bench to Kochhar in Otterspool Park in Liverpool.

Kochhar said the bench reminds her of the difficult journey she has experienced and of the donor whose heart gave her the opportunity to continue living.

Remembering the Gift of Organ Donation

Kochhar has spoken publicly about the complicated emotions surrounding organ transplantation and the importance of remembering the person and family behind a donated organ.

She has also encouraged people to talk with their loved ones about heart health and organ donation.

A Story of a New Beginning

Nearly four years after receiving a life-saving transplant, Kochhar is now raising her daughter with her husband in Liverpool.

Her story has brought renewed attention to organ donation and the long-term lives that can follow successful transplantation.

Sources

• BBC North West Tonight — “Heart transplant recipient welcomes baby girl” — September 29, 2026.
• People — “Heart Transplant Recipient, Who Was Days Away from Dying Before Surgery, Welcomes Baby Girl 4 Years Later” — September 30, 2026.
• British Heart Foundation — Information about Dr. Sanjana Kochhar and her living memorial bench.