Kerala, India (BBN)-Making a friend on a bus turned out to be a life saver for Kerala’s Puthukkodathu Sreekumar.
In November, Sreekumar- who had been diagnosed with a life-threatening liver disease and was in desperate need of a donor- was travelling from Attappady to Mannarkkad when he met 32-year-old K S Ajeesh on the bus, reports The Indian Express.
Ajeesh, a survey assistant with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, and Sreekumar, a fertiliser dealer, were sitting next to each other and started talking.
Both had gone to Attappady for work. “We started talking casually.
As the conversation progressed, Sreekumar told me about his disease.
He told me how he had failed to find a matching donor from within the family,” said Ajeesh, a native of Idukki.
That evening, they parted ways at their destination. Later, they started talking over the phone and, eventually, meeting.
That’s when Ajeesh realised time was running out for his friend. Sreekumar’s daughter, S Greeshma, said the family had started preparing for the worst.
“My father was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis four years ago. It grew into a tumour last year. We were willing to give a part of our liver to him, but we were not compatible. His health was worsening with every passing day,” she said. Then, Ajeesh decided to donate his liver.
“I was inspired by success stories of non-related donors in organ transplants. My family was against it initially, but later supported me,” said Ajeesh.
The surgery was performed on July 15. Ajeesh was discharged a few days ago, while his friend is recovering in the hospital.
BBN/SK/AD