Indian Transplant Newsletter. Vol.25 Issue No.1, January 2026 - March 2026
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568  /   Online ISSN 3048 - 653X

Ms. Sneha Raju, a Two-Time Kidney Transplant Recipient, Creates History in Antarctica

Sneha Raju
Indian Transplant Newsletter. 2026 Jan-Mar; 25(1): p.12
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64384/ITN.2026.014
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568
Online ISSN 3048 - 653X

Download PDF


Created global history by becoming the world's first two-time kidney transplant recipient to successfully complete a full Antarctic expedition.

 

 Her expedition included interior landings, overnight camping on the Antarctic continent, and crossing the Antarctic Circle.

 

 The historic expedition took place in December 2025, following established Antarctic expedition standards.

 

My life has been shaped by resilience from the very beginning. I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at the age of three, and much of my childhood unfolded not in playgrounds but in hospital corridors, dialysis wards, and treatment rooms.

 

I underwent my first kidney transplant at the age of seven, and a second transplant in 2013 during my final year of college after complications from cerebral malaria damaged the first graft. These experiences transformed survival into purpose.

Rather than allowing my medical history to define my limitations, I chose to pursue ambition with discipline and courage—believing that organ transplantation is not an endpoint, but a beginning.

 

What began as a tentative trek in the mountains gradually evolved into a journey of representation and record-breaking achievements. I have completed several high-altitude and extreme expeditions, including Kala Patthar, Kashmir Great Lakes, and the Chadar Trek—where I became the first two-time kidney transplant recipient recognised by the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records.

 

That journey culminated in December 2025, when I created global history by setting foot on Antarctica, camping overnight on the continent, and crossing the Antarctic Circle—becoming the first two-time kidney transplant recipient in the world to accomplish this feat.

 

Beyond expeditions, I am deeply committed to advocating for organ donation and inclusion. My journey and life experiences are featured in the book “Kidney Warriors, Edition 2: Stories of Lived Experiences Pave the Future of Social Enterprise in India” by Vasundhara Raghavan, where my story reflects hope, determination, and lived possibility.

 

Today, I stand not only as an explorer but also as an advocate. My journey is a reminder of the transformative power of organ donation, preparation, and belief, and of the fact that disability does not diminish capability, ambition, or the right to dream without limits.


To cite : Raju S. Ms. Sneha Raju. Ms. Sneha Raju, a Two-Time Kidney Transplant Recipient, Creates History in Antarctica. Indian Transplant Newsletter. 2026 Jan-Mar; 25(1): p.12. DOI: 10.64384/ITN.2026.014
Available at:
https://www.itnnews.co.in/indian-transplant-newsletter/issue79/Ms-Sneha-Raju-a-Two-Time-Kidney-Transplant-Recipient-Creates-History-in-Antarctica-1453.htm

  • Copyright © 2026. Published by MOHAN Foundation