KOCHI: ‘Break the Chain’ may be the slogan in currency in these difficult times. But the fact that the ‘Chain of Virtue’ remains unbroken was proved conclusively on Monday by the two children of heart recipient Leena. While she was discharged from Lisie Hospital after a successful heart transplant, Shiona -- an MTech student -- and her brother Basil -- a Law student -- hade little hesitation in pledging all their transplantable organs in lieu of the new lease of life received by their mother.
Bearing testimony to the magnanimity of another family, their altruistic decision serves as a gesture worthy of emulation. Health Minister KK Shailaja, who participated in the farewell function through video- conferencing, complimented Leena’s children, Lisie Hospital and the family of Laly, who donated her heart to Leena.
The Ernakulam-Angamaly Diocese Archbishop Mar Antony Kariyil delivered the blessing sermon.Leena (49), a native of Kothamangalam underwent heart transplant on May 9 after the family members of Laly, a native of Chembazhanthi in Thiruvananthapuram, agreed to the heart donation. After the intervention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the heart was flown from KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, to Lisie Hospital in a helicopter owned by the state government.