A helicopter carrying the heart of the Thiruvananthapuram man will arrive in Kochi on Thursday. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Amal Babu’s life was cut short young, but his family believes he will now live forever in the hearts of many. The 25-year-old was returning home to Thachottukavu in Malayinkil after work here when his motorbike collided with a car near Kundamonkadav on October 12 at around 9pm. Although he was in intensive care at a private hospital, he was confirmed brainstem dead on October 15, opening the possibility of organ donation.
As the family came forward to donate his organs, the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organization (K-SOTTO) moved quickly to coordinate with other hospitals to ensure that suitable organ recipients were found from those on the terminal organ failure waiting list.
Air ambulance
Amal’s heart will now beat with a 33-year-old man from Ponnani, Malappuram, who is undergoing treatment at Lisie Hospital in Kochi. Once the heart was removed by a team of surgeons from Lisia, the team along with the organ was flown to Kochi in the State Air Ambulance. In Kochi, the police also created a green channel for smooth movement of the organ by road to the hospital.
The liver and one kidney went to patients at KIMSHEALTH, while the other kidney was received by the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
Health Minister Veena George condoled Amal’s death and thanked the family for the noble act of organ donation that gave new life to four others. Mrs. George also thanked K-SOTTO, the police, the district administration, doctors, hospital staff and ambulance staff who all joined hands to make organ donation possible.
Faith restored
Mrithasanjeevani, the state government’s deceased organ donation programme, which has been on a downward spiral for a long time following controversies over brain death certification, is looking up once again thanks to a re-affirmation of public faith in the selfless act of organ donation.
This was the third deceased organ donation in the state in the last few weeks. Amal is survived by his father A. Babu, a former police inspector, mother Shimla and sister Arya.
Published – 16 Oct 2025 18:47 IST
