Bishop Mar Jacob Murikkan to breathe life into Hindu youth

Kottayam: Mar Jacob Murikkan,  auxiliary bishop of Pala diocese,   will donate his kidney  to an ailing youth of Kottakal in Malappuram.  Sooraj, 30, who has been undergoing dialysis  for the past one-and-a-half years, will get the bishop’s kidney in a transplant surgery to be held at the Lakeshore Hospital, Ernakulam, on June 1.

The tests for the  surgery were conducted at the Kottayam medical college hospital. The ethical committee of the state government had agreed to the transplant  after interacting with the relatives of the donor and the recipient of the kidney.    

Fr. Davis Chiramel, chairman of the  Kidney Federation of India,  told reporters at the MCH  that the federation will collect funds to help the poor family of Sooraj. It was for the first time that a Catholic bishop had agreed to donate his kidney, he said.

Mar Murikkan said that he was  happy to be the donor in the ‘Year of Mercy’ declared by the Pope. He   was inspired to donate his kidney after hearing the speech of  Fr.  Davis Chiramel  at a Bible convention at Pala two years ago.