Kerala’s youngest donor gives four lives a second chance

In a story that has stirred Kerala and moved the medical community, a 10-month-old baby from Mallappally, Pathanamthitta has become the youngest organ donor in the state. In death, she has given several others a second chance at life.

Aalin Sherin Abraham, daughter of Arun Abraham and Sherin Ann John, was declared brain dead after sustaining critical injuries in a road accident earlier this month. What followed was an act of rare courage. In the midst of grief that few can imagine, her parents chose to donate their child’s organs so that other patients waiting for transplants could survive.

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They donated her liver, two kidneys, a heart valve, and two corneas. Each organ was allocated to patients in urgent need, including children undergoing treatment in hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram. Medical teams worked through the night to ensure retrieval, preservation, and transport.

This was not just a medical procedure. It was a deeply human decision taken at the most fragile moment of a family’s life.

The tragedy

The tragedy unfolded on February 5 when the family was travelling on the MC Road near Pallam while heading from Kottayam towards Thiruvalla. Their car was hit by an oncoming vehicle. The impact left the infant critically injured. Her mother and maternal grandparents, who were travelling with her, also suffered serious injuries.

The baby was first rushed to hospitals in Changanassery and Thiruvalla and later shifted to Amrita Hospital in Kochi for advanced treatment. Doctors tried to stabilise her, but the injuries were severe. After days of intensive care, she was declared brain dead.

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For the parents, the reality was devastating. A child who had just begun to recognise faces and respond to voices was suddenly gone. Yet, in those final hours, the conversation turned to organ donation.

It is never an easy decision. In cases involving infants, the emotional burden is even greater. But the parents consented.

Decision to save others’ lives

“We lost our child, but what gives us strength now is the hope that five other children will live. When my son called from the hospital and asked what I thought about organ donation, I agreed without hesitation. The doctors had already told us she would not survive beyond a couple of days. If her organs can help other children live, then our tragedy brings a small sense of peace,” said Reji Samuel, Aalin’s grandfather.

Once consent was given, transplant teams moved quickly. The liver was allocated to a critically-ill infant at KIMS Hospital. The two kidneys were prepared for a child undergoing treatment at the SAT Hospital attached to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. The heart valve was sent to Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology. The corneas were retained for transplant procedures to restore sight.

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“It is a remarkable gesture from the young parents who approached the hospital authorities with willingness. As a society, we should salute them. Three transplant surgeries have been completed and urine output after the kidney transplant is a very positive sign. The child who received the liver transplant will be shifted to the ICU soon,” said Veena George, Kerala’s Minister for Health and Woman and Child Development.

Race against time

The logistics required precision, as the organs retrieved in Kochi had to be transported to Thiruvananthapuram in time for transplant surgeries. Medical teams, transplant coordinators, and government agencies worked in coordination to make it possible.

The process was overseen by the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation, which manages organ allocation and ensures medical compatibility and urgency.

Infant organ donation is extremely rare. The medical challenges are significant. Matching organs to suitable recipients is complex. The window for retrieval and transplantation is narrow. Most of all, families are often unable to even consider donation while coping with the shock of losing a child.

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That is why this case has drawn attention across the state. It reflects both the strength of Kerala’s transplant coordination system and the extraordinary compassion of one family.

Doctors involved in the process say the decision stands out not only for its rarity but for the clarity with which it was taken. Even while grieving, the parents thought of saving other children.

Second chance

In hospital corridors, such decisions are rarely dramatic. Arun Abraham and Sherin Ann John chose to turn their tragedy into something meaningful. Their daughter’s life could not be saved, but others' lives could.

For families waiting for organs, this moment is often the difference between hope and despair. Children waiting for kidneys, infants in need of liver transplants, and patients dependent on cardiac interventions all rely on such decisions.

“Even in their intense grief, the parents chose to help sustain the lives of others. The state expresses gratitude for this decision and shares the sorrow of the family,” said Veena George.

Organ donation is often discussed in terms of numbers. Waiting lists, transplant success rates, and medical infrastructure. But at its heart, every donation begins with a personal story.

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Aalin Sherin Abraham’s story stands at that intersection. A child who lived for just ten months has already altered the course of several lives. A baby who never knew the world beyond her family will now be remembered in hospital wards, recovery rooms, and homes where children survive because of her.

Medical professionals say such stories often inspire others. Families begin to talk about organ donation and individuals register as donors. Communities begin to see the value of giving life after death.

There is no way to measure what a parent loses. There is no equivalent for the absence of a child. Yet sometimes, from that loss, something larger emerges. Aalin Sherin Abraham will not be remembered for the accident that took her life. She will be remembered for what her parents chose in its aftermath.