A day in Chennai [Coimbatore] - brave act of Organ donation..

Heard of AP Hithendran ?  ~ ‘Traffic’  is a 2011 Malayalam thriller film based on a real-life happening in Chennai…….

There are sorrows and tearful happenings in life…. External appearances are deceptive…. One may never be able to understand the pain, frustration and suffering of fellow human beings. Some are made of stern material, strong mind ~ they hide their emotions and sufferings and mingle with those around….the sadness may be unfathomable ~ and we might hurt those people with our action unintentionally and without knowing their suffering by being harsh to them. If we understand that ‘life itself is short’ and we are gifted to be joyous – every little thing would give us happiness and make us treat those around with more dignity, warmth and affection.

Never scorn people; nor ridicule somebody…….. I generally do not write about accidents, loss, sufferings of people.. we see many road accidents – at times, we see humans having been injured – life goes on for everybody else – for the victims and their relatives – life turns lot different. In life, there may not be logic or  reason as to why some people suffer – even when they apparently do so much good to others and society !

Recently Chennaiyil Oru Naal (English: A day in Chennai) was telecast in TV.  It was a remake of Traffic in a hyperlink format ~ a thriller that intertwines multiple stories around one particular incident, inspired from an actual event that happened in Chennai.  It centered around the tragic accidental death of a youth, who is brain dead.  The parents at the time of extreme sorrow decide to take him off the ventilator and donate their son's heart ~ but the recipient is far away in Vellore….. how it gets transported the 150 odd kilometers in a short time forms the theme.    Sad to see and hear…. Imagine the plight of those who underwent such horrowing time.  

Dr Ashokan's family..

In Sept. 2008, tragedy befell on a Doctor couple, Dr. Ashokan and Dr. Pushpanjali, popular doctors in Thirukazhukundram- as they lost their beloved son Hithendran, aged 15, in a motor-bike accident.  They had earned a good name arising out of their kindness and helping nature – still – the unbearable tragedy. Quite unfortunately that day, the boy was not wearing a helmet and was riding a bike – met with a tragic road accident, sustained grievous head injuries and was moved to Chennai for treatment. The boy was brain dead with other organs functioning.  After battling a couple of days, there was no improvement – the doctor couple took an extremely courageous decision of donating all functioning organs of their son including heart, liver, kidney, corneas and bone marrows to different hospitals in the city. The most important thing is that heart can not be kept for more than 30 minutes after it has been removed from a particular body.

A 9 year old girl child suffering from chronic heart ailment was the chosen recipient – by the graceful decision at the height of sorrow, Dr Ashokan’s family became the saviour…… still considering the traffic the movement between those 2 hospitals would take at least 45 minutes – with great coordination of Police the route was kept clear and the heart was taken in a very short time…… the recipient child is alive – the Society must appreciate and thank the great gesture of the Doctor couple.  They donated other living organs as well and  have made their son [and themselves] remembered everybody….

There is a very similar sad incident, this time in Coimbatore ~ read in leading Tamil Newspaper ‘Dinamalar’ of 4^th Sept. 2013 [click here to read the paper report titled ‘a Day in Coimbatore” :A day in Coimbatore

Life was good for the couple of Marudachalam, a painter and his wife Kala living in Saravanampatti, Sivanandhapuram in Coimbatore, until their son Rajagopal, BCA, working in a software firm was involved in a tragic road accident. On that fateful day, this BJP party executive went in a two wheeler  for dropping his friend – collided with a pedestrian – and all three suffered injuries. Unfortunately, Rajagopal was brain-dead.

Hearing the tragic news of the death, the parents spoke of the son’s desire to donate his organs. Consequently Sri Rajagopal’s organs – liver, kidney, eyes were all donated to various persons which included Ms Nurjahan. The liver reportedly was transported by plane to Chennai.  A strategy code named ‘Operation Payanam [travel]’ was made in coordination with Traffic Police of Coimbatore, Doctors and various other authorities.  The liver and heart valves were transported to Peelamedu in ambulance and thence  in a special beachcraft 16 seater plane from Coimbatore to Chennai; one of the livers was taken to Ramnagar hospital; eyes were taken to Sankara Eye hospital.

The sad father is quoted as stating that his son had been an active social worker associated with Vivekananda Kendra and had become an executive in BJP just a week back – he had been a regular blood donor.  The tearful father conveyed that by doing the organ donation, his son would live even after death and that they would be able to still see his son in those recipients…………

Extremely sad and pained to read these……… those who help others even at their time of sorrow are indeed noble.

Saluting their spirit – with great regards

S. Sampathkumar.

4^th Sept. 2013.