Kochi: A Catholic nun in Kerala is all set to donate one of her kidneys to an ailing man.
Sister Chaithanya, a member of Congregation of Mother of Carmel, on June 3 received the necessary clearances from a governmental medical college in Alappuzha to donate one of her kidneys to Saji Varghese, who 18 months ago was diagnosed with kidney failure.
The nun has also completed the medical examination for organ donation at the same medical college. Varkey and the nun are 43 years old.
The donation is scheduled at Ernakulam Lisie Hospital but the date has not been fixed.
The approval for the nun’s organ donation came three days after Auxiliary Bishop Jacob Muricken of Palai underwent surgery to donate a kidney to Sooraj Sudhakaran, a thirty-year-old poor and lower-caste Hindu man. The prelate’s kidney started functioning on the youth soon after the transplant.
Sr Chaithanya is the executive director of the Chavara Inspire Charitable Society under the Chavara Cultural Centre and lives in the congregation’s convent at Nedumkandam in Idukki district.
Varkey is a resident of Muhamma villager in Alleppey district. His family members are all diabetic patients and hence could not become donors. Varkey registered with the Kidney Federation of India headed by Fr Davis Chiramel.
Sr Chaithanya had conveyed to Fr Chiramel her willingness to donate kidney sometime ago and when the latter informed her about the case of Varkey, she readily agreed.
Christian clergy donating kidney to non-related recipients, especially Hindu and Muslim donors, began in Kerala with Fr Davis Chiramel in 2008.
So far, 15 priests and six nuns and a bishop have donated kidneys to non-related recipients through the organ donation network Kidney Federation of India, started by Fr Chiramel, who gifted kidney to a Hindu youth in Thrissur village.
Sr Chaithanya is the second CMC nun to donate kidney. Sr Little Teresa had donated her kidney in 2015.
The organ donation is part of the religious response to Pope Francis’ call to perform acts of charity in this Holy Year of Mercy.