Heart Transplant Survivor Set to Run Mumbai Marathon Half-Marathon
When Shagun Shah crosses the finish line at the Tata Mumbai Marathon this Sunday, he will complete an extraordinary journey. The 36-year-old businessman from Napeansea Road will run the half-marathon just fourteen months after receiving a life-saving heart transplant. This achievement remains rare among major marathon events worldwide.
A Run About Identity, Not Time
Shah, a father of two, is not chasing a personal best time. He stated clearly that timing does not matter to him. He might even take short breaks during the race if needed. For Shah, this run carries deeper meaning. He wants to shed the label of heart transplant patient and embrace the identity of a marathoner.
Running serves as a powerful tool for him. It helps silence the inner doubts that surfaced after his diagnosis. Shah was diagnosed with heart failure during the Covid pandemic in 2021. The condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, enlarged his heart's main pumping chambers and reduced their ability to pump blood effectively.
The Medical Journey to the Starting Line
His heart's ejection fraction dropped to a critical 20%, far below the normal range of 60% to 70%. Medication provided stability for a while, allowing life to continue, including the birth of his second child. However, a sudden crisis arrived in November 2024.
While playing paddle, Shah experienced severe fatigue and breathlessness. His resting heart rate soared to a dangerous 150 beats per minute. He was rushed immediately to H N Reliance Hospital in Girgaum. There, heart surgeon Dr. Anvay Mulay delivered sobering news. A transplant was the best available option.
Shah registered as a recipient while still hospitalized. Remarkably, a donor heart became available just ten days later. The transplant surgery took place on November 25, 2024.
A Nurse's Prophecy and Determined Recovery
During his difficult recovery, surrounded by tubes and monitors, a nurse made a statement that stuck with him. She told him that by the same time next year, he would be able to run a marathon. Shah accepted those words as a personal challenge.
He began cardiac rehabilitation in January 2025. His recovery progressed smoothly, according to his medical team. Dr. Aashish Contractor, director of rehabilitation at Sir H N Reliance Hospital, described Shah's recovery as remarkably smooth. The team built his endurance through structured strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, and proper nutrition.
Dr. Contractor emphasized that not every transplant patient needs to run a marathon. However, Shah possessed a clear goal, and the medical team worked to help him achieve it safely. In recent months, Shah has successfully completed multiple long training runs, including several covering 18 to 19 kilometers.
A Broader Message on Organ Donation and Health
Jaya Jairam, project director at the NGO MOHAN Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient herself, highlighted the significance of Shah's run. She called it a powerful reminder of what organ donation makes possible. It demonstrates that transplant recipients can lead fit and active lives.
Jairam also pointed to an important issue. She stated that such achievements underscore the need for fair health insurance policies for transplant recipients, which are often denied to them. Shah's story is not just about personal triumph. It carries a message of hope and advocacy for the transplant community.
