KOTTAYAM: Around 37 years ago, when organ donation was not widely accessible and posed significant procedural challenges, he realised that both his kidneys were irreparably damaged. The recent death of M G Ramachandran, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, having survived just three years after undergoing a kidney transplant in the United States, also threw up questions about the efficacy of the medical intervention.
Despite these daunting circumstances, the young man from Koothattukulam, then just 27, refused to give up. When his own mother came forward to donate her kidney, he underwent a transplant in 1988. Nearly four decades later, K Mohanan and his mother K N Thankamma serve as enduring inspirations.
Both 83-year-old mother and 63-year-old son continue to lead normal lives. In recognition of their contribution to organ donation, Mohanan and his mother were honoured by friends in Pala on Monday. The event also served to promote organ donation and alleviate public concerns surrounding it.
Following his diagnosis, Mohanan’s journey was far from easy. The kidney donated by his mother was rejected by his body nearly six months after surgery. Later, with the support of his friends, he was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai, where a second transplant was performed on September 18, 1990.
Despite concerns of a possible further rejection, Mohanan has led a healthy life ever since, even taking to farming after his retirement from government service. Interestingly, some medical practitioners even discouraged him from undergoing the procedure. After the first transplanted kidney was rejected, the uncertainties that life had kicked up forced him to decide never to marry.
“I was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease while working as a temporary staff in the agriculture department. A transplant was the only option available. At that time, transplants were performed only at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. It was my friends and classmates who supported me and gave me the courage to undergo the procedure,” Mohanan told TNIE.
Recognising the ongoing societal concerns surrounding organ transplant, Mohanan’s former classmates organised the ‘Mohanam, Mahaneeyam’ programme in Pala to honour the mother and son. “We are from the Vellayani College of Agriculture’s class of 1986. Mohanan was active in sports and other activities. Post-surgery, he secured a government job and held various positions, before retiring as a deputy director with the agriculture department,” said Bimal Ghosh, retired joint director at agriculture department.
Apart from honouring Mohan, his friends also organised a seminar with the support of Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization to impart awareness and allay concerns related to organ transplants. Around 50 participants signed up for organ transplant with more expected to join soon, said organisers.
“There are many misconceptions about organ donation still prevailing in society, including the belief that recipients do not live long and that transplants are facilitated by hospitals as a way to make money. These misconceptions have led to defensiveness among medical professionals in the field. It is in this context that a person who, after suffering from kidney disease early in his career, successfully underwent a transplant and enjoyed a healthy life for 35 years, complete with a fulfilling career and family. It is an opportunity to think and discuss organ donation,” Muralee Thummarukudy, a disaster
