NEW YORK — A young Pakistani doctor, 27-year-old Dr. Maryam Shaukat, tragically passed away in the United States just half an hour before she was scheduled to undergo a liver transplant a procedure that had been her last hope for survival.
Dr. Maryam, who had been battling severe liver complications, was admitted to a hospital in New York, New Jersey, earlier this month. Despite medical efforts, her condition worsened rapidly, leaving doctors with no option but to recommend an urgent transplant.
Her husband, Dr. Hamza Zafar, sought assistance from the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA). Responding swiftly, APPNA launched an emergency fundraising campaign. In an overwhelming show of solidarity, the Pakistani-American medical community and supporters raised $273,000 in just one day.
Out of that, the organization immediately paid $100,000 to the hospital, securing Dr. Maryam’s place on the transplant list. A donor match was soon identified, raising hopes that she would be given a second chance at life.
According to APPNA officials, including General Secretary Dr. Muhammad Sanaullah and President Dr. Humaira Qamar, along with physicians such as Dr. A. Fazal Akbar, Dr. Zeeshan, Dr. Babar Rao, Dr. Fateh Shahzad, and Dr. Siddique Khurram, the entire community rallied behind the cause. They described it as a mission of hope and humanity to save a young doctor who had dedicated her life to helping others.
But fate dealt a cruel blow. Just as she was being wheeled into surgery, Dr. Maryam’s health collapsed, and she passed away 30 minutes before the transplant could be performed.
In a statement, APPNA leaders expressed profound grief, calling her story one of sacrifice, courage, and shattered dreams. “She came to heal others,” they said, “but in her final moments, it was she who needed healing. Despite every effort, we could not save her.”
Dr. Maryam’s untimely death has left the Pakistani community in the US and beyond in shock, mourning the loss of a promising young physician whose life ended just as it was about to be saved.
