At the age of 18, Ankita Shrivastava donated 74% of her liver to her mother who was suffering from liver cirrhosis. Her mother passed away three months later. Today, Shrivastava holds two world records at the World Transplant Games and is also a serial entrepreneur.
When Ankita Shrivastava was 13-years-old, her mother was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. It was the result of the transfusion of hepatitis-infected blood when she had given birth.
Shrivastava was the only match, but she could not donate part of her liver until she turned 18. The waiting period was a horrendous time for the young girl who felt helpless and also saw hope when she could finally donate.
Also, there were other complications. Shrivastava weighed only 50 kg while her mother’s weight was almost double.
“I had to increase my weight drastically to be able to donate. I ate, vomited, and kept on eating to finally reach the goal. My mother also went into a coma and we had to wait for her to come out of it to go ahead with the transplant,” she tells.
The doctors were not confident that the transplant would succeed, but she was adamant that they tried.
Finally, Shrivastava donated 74% of her liver, but fate willed otherwise. Her mother passed away after three months of the transplant.
“It’s normal to go to a hospital sick and come back healthy. For me, the reverse happened. I was in the ICU for 18 days, and it took two months to be able to walk. As soon as I felt some semblance of recovery, my mother passed away,” she says.
To add to the misfortune, her father also left the family, and she found herself on her own.
Today, she’s a serial entrepreneur, a strong advocate for organ donation, and an athlete and world record holder at the World Transplant Games organised by the International Olympic Association.
But, life at 19, she recalls, was one of many struggles.
Living with her grandmother, she had to find a way to earn an income to pay her college fees. She joined a printing and publishing firm in her home city Bhopal, which was the licensee for Mattel, Warner Brothers, Spiderman, Superman, and other big brands. This laid the foundation for her entering the world of IP and entertainment as a serial entrepreneur.
For the past seven years, she has built eight brands (pre-school animation characters). This includes Purple Turtle, available in 25 countries, and has 350+ books and a TV show on Discovery Kids in MENA. She is the franchiser to 14 Purple Turtle Pre-schools in India and Nepal. I have partnered with Cyber Group Studios (Top 10 Distributors of the World), Telegael, Ireland, and 5 Emmy Award Winners to create the TV Series of Purple Turtle.
She is also the Director of Aadarsh Technosoft that has developed eight brands, and MSA Global Sourcing that deals in sourcing of products across the world from Disney approved factories in India.
Preparing for World Transplant Games
A national level player in basketball and swimming, Shrivastava had given up sports after her transplant when her family friend suggested participating in the World Transplant Games in Newcastle in 2019. The Games, started in 1978, features both recipients and donors, and in its last edition saw participation from 60 countries.
“It took six months for me to regain my health and reach a level where I could participate. With only part sponsorship and managerial support from Organ India, I won three medals in 2019, a silver in the 100 m, and two golds in long jump and shotput,” she says. All this without any governmental support or backing as the Games are yet to be recognised by India.
Currently pursuing an MBA at the Wharton School of Business, Shrivastava is preparing for the World Transplant Games, starting on April 15 in Perth, Australia.
“It’s been a wild ride preparing for the Games for six hours a day and pursuing an Ivy League education–both can sap all your energy, especially when here I’m all by myself,” she says.
And that’s not at all. She’s also working and raising funds for her early-stage startup, Airfit, which plans to open cross-fit centres at airports for quick 20-minute workout session.
Shrivastava is also a strong advocate for organ donation and works closely with the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Ministry of Sports, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and many other organisations to spread awareness.
Almost 11 years after she donated a huge part of her liver, her life is not without specific health challenges.
“Though the liver grows after a donation, my case has been different. My right lobe was remove, and growth was supposed to happen to the right. But it started growing on the left, and started putting pressure on my spleen. So once it hit another organ, it stopped growing. I have to keep going for check-ups and follow a strict diet because I have contracted a number of allergies after the donation,” she says.
For instance, she cannot even once indulge in junk food or cold drinks because it could have an adverse effect on her health.
Her way forward is already chalked out–attain success as an entrepreneur, play for India as an athlete, and inspire others though motivational talks to become organ donors.
Shrivastava has no regrets. “I am happy to have been able to donate to my mother and be with her at least three months after the operation,” she says.
