THIRUVANANTHPURAM: Friends are in a race against time to save Jithesh, who is battling for his life at Li sie Hospital. Two we eks ago, he under went a
Centrimag surgery
that exten ded his life mechani cally for 20-30 days and he is yet to receive a compatible heart for transplant.The only
possible choice
is an artificial heart.
Jithesh
is being treated by
Dr Jose Chacko Periappuram
ever since he had multiple heart attacks Since it is difficult to find a compatible donor within a week, Hridayasangamam--an online community created by his colleagues and friends--has boosted their fundraising cam paign further to meet the expenses for an artificial-heart transplant which costs around Rs 65-70 lakhs.
“As we are unable to find a compatible donor, the only choice left is the implantation of a mechanical device LVAD (Left ventricular Assist Device). But we only have a few days to make it possible. An amount of Rs 30 lakhs has been collected. The chief minister has assured funds from his Distress Relief Fund, but nothing has been sanctioned yet. We need Rs 50,000 each day to keep him in cardiac ICU,“ said Ratheesh, who is leading Hridayasangamam.
The surgery , which has become a viable alternative for those who couldn't find natural donors, would be a first-of-its-kind in Kerala. “A natural
heart transplant
is the best option.For an artificial heart, he would have to carry a bag, a console and a battery that must be charged every four hours. It is a now-or-never choice for Jithesh,“ Ratheesh added.
The `Mrithasanjeevani' wing of Kerala Network Organ Sharing is also trying to find a suitable donor. “His name is in our priority list, but the unavailability of compatible donors is the problem. We are contacting other states so that a costly artificialheart surgery can be avoided,“ said nodal officer of Mrithasanjeevani Dr Noble Gracious.
Jithesh, who hails from a middleclass family , is seeking financial assistance from kind-hearted persons to surgery expenses. A bank account has been opened to receive contributions. Account details are ANo5654101001657, Canara Bank, Kureekkad, IFSC CodeCNRB0005654.
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