THRISSUR: Eleven years after he became the recipient of the state’s first-ever heart to be transported by air, Mathew Achadan, 57, a resident of Pariyaram near Chalakudy, passed away at his residence on Monday. A former autorickshaw driver and headload worker, Mathew received a lease of life following a complex and time-sensitive heart transplant surgery performed on July 24, 2015.
At age 47, he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which heart muscles weaken and lose their ability to pump blood effectively. Despite weeks of intensive tests and treatment, his condition showed no improvement and doctors finally concluded that a heart transplant was his only chance of survival.
With his condition critical, Mathew was registered under the Kerala Network for Organ Sharing (KNOS). The anxious wait for a donor began. Support poured in from the community, including a treatment assistance committee led by the then Pariyaram panchayat member Dally Varghese and a teacher P V Shibu, who mobilised resources and public backing for the life-saving procedure.
The breakthrough came when a donor was identified in Thiruvananthapuram. Advocate Neelakanta Sharma, 46, of Parassala was admitted to Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology after collapsing in his bathroom. Doctors determined that he had suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage. In a remarkable act of generosity, his wife Latha and sons Subramanya Sharma and Gautham Sharma consented to organ donation.
However, an immense challenge lay ahead: the heart had to be transported over 210km from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi and transplanted within a narrow five-hour window.
Road transport was deemed impractical, and the idea of airlifting the organ took shape. The then CM Oommen Chandy intervened and coordinated with defence authorities to arrange an aircraft at short notice. Government clearance was issued past midnight.
On July 24, 2015, a Dornier 228 aircraft of the Indian Navy, typically used for surveillance and training, was specially configured to carry the medical team and the organ. Piloted by Commander S Gopinath and Sub-Lieutenant Rakshit Kapur, the aircraft carrying doctors departed Kochi at 2.20pm. The team reached Sree Chitra hospital within minutes.
Under the leadership of cardiac surgeon Dr Jose Chacko Periappuram, the organ retrieval surgery began around 3pm. By 6.20pm, the heart was harvested, and by 6.51 pm, the aircraft took off for Kochi and landed at 7.35pm. The heart was rushed to Lisie Hospital, where the transplant was completed the same night. The operation marked the first time in Kerala that a heart was transported by air for transplantation, setting a precedent for future organ transfer logistics.
For Mathew and his family, the surgery gave a second chance at life. His wife Bindu and children Amal and Anna stood by him through years of recovery and renewed life. From struggling with a failing heart to becoming a symbol of survival, Mathew’s journey resonated deeply with many across Kerala.
Mathew’s case also sparked discussions about the need for air ambulances and faster organ transport systems in the state. Following the surgery, Mathew lived a normal life for nearly 11 years, returning to driving an autorickshaw and, also supporting others who had undergone similar surgeries.