THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the decision to donate the organs of Tamil Nadu native C Shivakumar, 54, his family has saved the lives of five people. Shivakumar, a cable jointer who had come to Kollam for work, was declared brain-dead following a cerebral haemorrhage. On Sunday, his kidneys, corneas and liver were donated with the consent of his family members.
After experiencing physical discomfort on August 4, he was admitted to a private hospital there. The next day, he was shifted to KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, after suffering a haemorrhage. He was declared brain-dead on August 8. Organ donation procedures were initiated after the family members expressed their willingness to donate his organs.
The procedures were coordinated under the leadership of the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO).
One kidney was allocated to a patient undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, while the other kidney and the liver were transplanted into patients at KIMSHealth, Thiruvananthapuram.
The two corneas were donated to patients at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram.
Health Minister K Muraleedharan expressed his appreciation to the family for coming forward to donate the organs despite their profound grief. The minister also conveyed his condolences to the family.
Shivakumar is survived by his wife, S Vanitha; sons, S Vijayakumar and S Arunkumar; and daughter-in-law, A Keerthika.