Theni organ donor gets first state honour

THENI: T Vadivel (43), a senior revenue inspector in Theni collectorate, declared brain-dead on September 24, became the first person in TN to be accorded state honour during a funeral under the CM’s plan to honour the deceased whose organs are donated by their families. On September 23, Vadivel fell down and sustained severe head injuries after a cow dashed against his motorcycle. He was rushed to a government hospital in Chinnamanur before being shifted to Theni Government Medical College Hospital. He was later admitted to Apollo Hospital in Madurai where the doctors declared him brain-dead on September 24. Vadivel’s wife Pattulakshmi works as a clerk at the Theni district court. The couple has a 10-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son. After the family’s consent, Vadivel’s kidneys, liver, skin, and eye were retrieved to give patients in Apollo Hospital and Madurai Rajaji Hospital a new lease of life. On Tuesday, Health Minister Ma Subramanian accorded state honours to Vadivel by placing a wreath on his body at the funeral in Theni. State govt will help father of donor to regain vision, says health minister DSP Dongre Pravin Umesh, DRO R Jeyabharathi, Cumbum MLA N Eramakrishnan, Andipatti MLA Maharajan, and Periyakulam MLA K S Saravana Kumar also paid their respects. The minister appreciated the family for giving its consent to harvesting Vadivel’s organs. “After CM Stalin’s announcement on honouring the deceased whose organs are donated, the state government has paid its first honour to Vadivel. This will continue,” Subramanian said. TN government will extend all support to Vadivel’s father to help him regain vision in his eyes. The family has been asked to come to Chennai for treatment, the minister said.