For the last one week radio channels in Coimbatore have been announcing the launch of the organ donation movement in Coimbatore. They kept playing a sound bite from Actor R. Siva Kumar to attend the launch of MOHAN foundation’s Coimbatore operations on 13th February 2011 and support organ donation. Somewhere this message seems to have a struck a chord.

The very next day, after the launch of MOHAN Foundation Coimbatore, a brain death declaration happened in Ramakrishna Hospital. Thanks to the motivation of an extraordinary family, the commitment of the medical fraternity and the fact that MOHAN Foundation’s Transplant coordinators were in the right place at the right time, the whole process was coordinated. The story goes like this

Sowdesh was a typical 11-year-old boy who enjoyed the company of his friends. For his parents Mr. Mani and Mrs. Indrani, of Sirumugai village near Mettupalayam, he was the baby of the house, there being a 10-year gap between him and his older brother. On that fateful day of 12th February 2011, he was playing with a friend when a two-wheeler rider lost control and mowed Sowdesh down. He sustained severe injuries and was taken to Mettupalayam GH and from there to Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore. When Sowdesh's parents were told that he was brain dead, they remembered that on a visit to Chennai last year they had read in a newspaper, about a family that had donated their loved one’s organs. The story had left a deep impact on them. Though they had never imagined that they would one day be faced with making a similar decision, Mr. Mani and Mrs. Indrani displayed exemplary courage in the midst of devastating grief. They told the ICU doctors in Ramakrishna hospital that they were willing to donate Sowdesh’s organs.

In an extraordinary coming together of events, on 14th February 2011, Dr. V. Anil Kumar, Dean, Ramakrishna Hospital called MOHAN Foundation requesting their help in coordinating the organ donation process. Ms. Veena and Mr. Mukesh, MOHAN Foundation’s transplant coordinators, who were in Coimbatore went to Ramakrishna Hospital to help them with the brain stem death protocol and to offer emotional support to Sowdesh’s family. A special mention for the police needs to be made here as they were extremely supportive and they made sure that all the required documentation was in place. With inputs from doctors in Chennai regarding protocol, the confirmatory apnoea tests were performed at Ramakrishna Hospital. The final apnoea test was performed on 15th February 2011 at 7.30 a.m. after which organ retrieval was done. The kidneys, liver, heart valves,and corneas were retrieved. Sowdesh lives on…