While couples across the world celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14 with roses, chocolates and expensive gifts, hundreds of spouses in Gujarat have expressed their love in a far more profound way by donating a kidney to save their partner’s life.
Over the past five years, 354 cases of kidney donation between husbands and wives have been recorded in the state. At the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre (IKDRC) at Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, 306 wives and 48 husbands donated kidneys to their life partners.
Officials noted that women including wives, mothers and daughters continue to form the majority of kidney donors in Gujarat. However, the number of husbands coming forward to donate has also been rising. In 2024, nine husbands donated kidneys to their wives, while in 2025 the number increased to 15.
In cases where spouses have incompatible blood groups, swap transplant arrangements are available, allowing compatible donor-recipient pairs to exchange kidneys.
IKDRC Director Dr Pranjal Modi said true love lies in standing by one’s partner during the most difficult times. “A rose may wither in a few hours, but a kidney donation gives a new life. Organ donation is the greatest form of giving,” he said.
Valentine’s Day traces its origins to Saint Valentine, who was executed in 299 BC under the orders of Roman Emperor Claudius II. Today, while many celebrate with symbolic gestures of affection, these 354 cases reflect a deeper, life-saving expression of love in Gujarat.