MAYILADUTHURAI: A 37-year-old owner of a petty shop here has given a fresh lease of life to as many as six persons across the State after his organs were donated to them before he succumbed to injuries from a freak mishap. According to sources, Ayyappan of Nallathukudi in the district on November 7 headed to Palakkarai on his motorcycle to purchase medicine.
He owned a petty shop. After getting down from the motorcycle, he did not park it on its stand, which made the two-wheeler to fell on him. Losing balance, he fell and sustained injuries to his head. Ayyappan went home after the incident where after dining, he felt giddy and vomited. He soon lost consciousness.
He was taken to the general hospital in Mayiladuthurai, where he was then referred to the Government Tiruvarur Medical College Hospital that night. Ayyappan, however, plunged into a coma and was declared brain dead. The doctors there then spoke to Ayyappan's family and convinced them to donate his organs. His family relented following which Ayyappan's pair of eyes, heart, heart valves, pair of lungs, kidneys and the pancreas were harvested.
They were then sent to six recipients across the State. His kidney was donated to a 40-year-old patient at MGMGH in Tiruchy and another was sent to a private medical college in Tiruchy. The heart and lungs were taken to a private hospital in Chennai. The liver was sent to a private medical college in Madurai. His pair of eyes was retained at the Tiruvarur medical college hospital for transplantation, sources said.
Ayyappan's body was later taken to his native village where his last rites were held on Thursday. Among those who paid homage to Ayyappan was Mayiladuthurai MLA S Rajakumar. He told TNIE, "The noble deed by Ayyappan's family is commendable. Organ donation should be promoted more and publicised in the State.
There should be proper guidance at each hospital and the network for organ donation should be improved." Ayyappan is survived by his parents Panneerselvam and Gomathi, his graduate wife Vasuki (34), and his sons Madhesh (9) and Dinesh (6).
His cousin N Singaravelan (38) sought assistance from the State government for the family who lost their breadwinner. MLA Rajakumar assured to do the needful. Meanwhile, a case has been registered at Mayiladuthurai Town Police station under Section 174 (accidental fall) of the CrPC.