Muscat – More than 700,000 students returned to school for the new academic year on Sunday with wide smiles and brimming with joy. For one student, however, it was one of the best days of her life as she returned to school with a new heart – literally.

A Grade 11 student, Aya al Busaidi has recuperated after undergoing a heart transplant donated by a brain-dead individual. Sunday was her first day at school after a nine-month break due to her heart ailment.

Aya lives a full and normal life now. In an interview with Oman TV, Aya said, “I am very happy that my heart transplant was successful. After the operation, I was so happy to see my family because I did not expect to see them again. I could not believe that I had a new life.”

She thanked God, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and the person who donated the heart.

Aya’s mother informed that the family faced innumerable challenges while treating their daughter. “But then we found an organ donor. We thank God that my daughter started the school year on Sunday after a nine-month gap in her studies.”

Dr Neven bint Ibrahim al Kalbani, senior consultant of pediatric nephrology and head of Organ Transplant Department at The Royal Hospital, said, “Organ donation is important as there are many Omani patients who need urgent transplants. People should volunteer to donate organs to save patients suffering from organ failure.”

Currently, over 2,500 patients with renal failure are on haemodialysis and 200 other patients on proton dialysis in the sultanate. According to Ministry of Health data, 50 children under the age of 13 are on some form of dialysis.