Paralysed during operation, organ donor struggling to get back on his feet

KOCHI: Until two years ago, Ranju K was leading a healthy life as an employee with the Bahrain ministry. But his life turned upside down once he decided to help a friend’s father by donating his liver. He suffered a spinal stroke due to medical negligence on the part of a well-known hospital in Kochi, which left him completely paralysed.

The 42-year-old and his sister Resmi are now pleading with everyone for financial assistance in order to lead a normal life. “When my brother came here for a vacation, a friend approached him about donating a liver for his father. After the tests, the doctor determined that my brother is healthy for the transplant. However, things changed after the surgery,” said Resmi, who is Ranju’s sole surviving family member.

Ranju underwent surgery in 2020. “He had no hesitation in assisting his friend because he is well-educated. But the surgery changed his life. To cover the cost of treatment, we were forced to sell our property in Attingal. We need Rs 1.5 lakh every month to cover his medical expenses,” says Resmi, who has already spent Rs 45 lakh in the last two years.

Shockingly, his beneficiaries have also abandoned him. “We saw his friend and father for the last time on the fifth day after the surgery. We attempted to contact them, but they ignored us. We would have been grateful had they come to visit us,” says Resmi, who quit her high-paying job to care for her brother. Ranju, who is now receiving treatment at Aster Medcity, has been showing signs of improvement.

“We are now renting a house and have sold everything to pay for his treatment. After a few news organisations published articles about him, a few people stepped forward to assist him. However, he needs more assistance,” she said. The family has also submitted an application for justice from the hospital.