#GoodNews: Two Kerala Villages Fund TN Man’s Kidney Transplant

The donation drive helped amass close to Rs 11.25 lakh, although the required amount was Rs 10 lakh.

Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: iStock)

Kerala is truly God's own country, as proved by two small villages that crowdfunded close to Rs 12 lakh for the kidney-transplant of a migrant worker last week.

The villages of Chingavanam and Pallam in Kottayam district together raised the money through a door-to-door campaign to facilitate the kidney transplant of 45-year-old Kulathuparambil Jayan, a native of Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

Jayan runs a mobile ironing stall, and has resided in the reigon for over two decades. Speaking to the Indian Express, Jayan said,

I had feared that I would be left to die for want of money. Now, I realise how much the people of this region love me.

The donation drive was conducted by "Jayan Life Saving Samithi", a voluntary organisation set up by members from both villages. According to Tino K Thomas, the convener of the outfit and a municipal councillor, the drive helped amass close to Rs 11.25 lakh, although the required amount was Rs 10 lakh.

We requested daily workers to contribute a day’s wage, of around Rs 500. There are people who contributed sums ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 25,000.

Tino K Thomas

The Samithi announced its decision to collect money on 14 October through a public address system, and began the drive on 15 October. Volunteers say they were astonished to find people eager to contribute to the cause.

Thomas credits the turnout to the efforts of Fr Punnasseri, the man behind the community FM station which highlighted that “people, irrespective of political and religious barriers should come together to rescue the life of a migrant worker.”

The committee had local leaders from CPI(M), Congress and BJP. This gives a strong message that Kerala is God’s own country, where everyone is taken care of. If the cause is genuine, people would support generously.

Put up in a small outhouse in Chingavanam, Jayan was diagnosed as a chronic kidney patient seven years ago — his condition deteriorating steadily in the last six months. On dialysis for the last three months, his doctors recommended he get a kidney transplant. His wife Mariyammal offered to give up one of her kidneys, after the doctors found her to be a matching donor.

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