Mason's vital organs save lives of six patients

Vital organs harvested from a 32-year-old accident victim saved the lives of as many as six patients on Wednesday.

Satish Kulal’s two-wheeler skidded on the road while he was returning from work to his house in Moorje near Punjalkatte on Sunday and he was badly injured.

Satish, who was unmarried was eking a living as a mason to support his family including two sisters. He was initially shifted to Fr Muller Hospital in Thumbay and later, to the hospital in Kankanady.

On Tuesday, Satish Kulal was declared brain dead and ‘Jeevanasarthakathe’ (State Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation) was alerted after the RT-PCR test reported negative to Covid-19.

Many leaders including Thungappa Bangera motivated the parents to donate Satish’s organs and save the lives of many patients.

In the presence of Fr Muller Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Uday Kumar, Father Muller Charitable Institutions Director Fr Richard Coelho, Satish’s vital organs were harvested and shifted within hours to recipients with the help of a ‘green corridor’, set up by traffic police, between Father Muller Hospital and Mangaluru International Airport (MIA).

MIA facilitated speedy clearance of organs from the departure gate to the security hold area for onward transportation to Bengaluru onboard a non-scheduled chartered flight.

Satish’s heart will be transplanted on a 21-year-old recipient in Manipal Hospital, liver to a recipient in Narayana Hrudayalaya, kidneys to Manipal Hospital in Udupi and K S Hegde Hospital in Mangaluru.

The corneas were handed over to Fr Muller eye bank and skin to skin bank in K S Hegde Hospital.

Though the post mortem was delayed and the body was handed over to relatives on Wednesday evening, the family showed much restraint and expressed joy that Satish’s organs had saved the lives of as many as six patients.