‘Comrade Isaac Does Not Die; My Heart Was Aching Every Moment’; Dr. Jo Joseph’s Emotional Note on Organ Donation
Kochi: Dr. Jo Joseph, Consultant Cardiologist at Lissy Hospital, has shared an emotional note regarding the organ donation of Isaac George, a native of Kollam. In his Facebook post, Dr. Jo Joseph, who was also the LDF candidate in the Thrikkakara election, stated that it was a day when he felt immense happiness as a human being beyond his role as a doctor, felt proud of his government, and reaffirmed his faith in the system.
Dr. Joseph recounted the urgent mission: “I was in a great hurry today. Perhaps I was one of those who traveled the fastest and farthest today. One might say it was a race against time. I left Ernakulam at 2 AM and reached KIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram at 6:30 AM. I left with the heart around 12 PM and reached the airport from KIMS in just seven minutes. By helicopter, I traveled from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam in three-quarters of an hour and reached Lissy Hospital from the Hyatt Hotel helipad in just 5 minutes. Because every minute today was worth a life.”
He described the emotional moment of seeing Isaac George in the operation theatre at KIMS, noting that Isaac did not have any visible serious injuries, but his brain was completely non-functional due to the accident. Dr. Joseph expressed profound gratitude to Isaac’s family: “At an age when he was dreaming of a beautiful life and chasing those dreams, Isaac’s family showed great virtue in deciding to donate his organs to others, even when completely devastated by an accidental tragedy. Words are not enough to thank them for this great act of charity.”
He further shared the deep emotional impact of the procedure: “My heart was aching every moment as the heart, two kidneys, and liver were harvested. The family’s decision to donate their son’s, their brother’s organs for others to live, even while facing the greatest tragedy of their lives, must have been due to the ideology Isaac George believed in.” Dr. Joseph pondered the depth of humanity: “Can one who believes in the ideology of making humans good humans do more good than this? Can one be a better human being than this? Can one uphold humanity more than this? Therefore, throughout the journey, I held the box containing the heart close to my body with reverence.”
Dr. Joseph lauded the state’s support for the organ donation initiative. He stated, “My government was with this endeavor from the moment the donor alert was received. From midnight yesterday, the Chief Minister and his office, Minister P. Rajeeve and his office, and the Health Minister and his office constantly intervened and provided helicopter services with the government’s assistance. Senior IPS and IAS officers coordinated all the complex matters in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam.” He highlighted the seamless execution, “Police officers in these two cities arranged green corridors from KIMS Hospital to the airport and from the Hyatt helipad to the hospital. Flawless planning and coordination! Today was also a day when I felt proud of my government.”
He acknowledged the crucial role of the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO): “Many hospitals, numerous doctors, extremely serious legal intricacies—all of these were coordinated and implemented by the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO), which is part of my system. The K-SOTTO team, led by Nodal Officer Dr. Noble Gracious, led this complex mission and provided the necessary instructions every moment.”
Concluding his emotional reflection, Dr. Joseph affirmed, “Yes – today was a day when I felt proud of my state’s ‘system’, my government, my ideology, and the modern medicine I believe in. No, he does not die. Comrade Isaac does not die. He lives through many.”
Isaac George, 33, was injured in an accident while crossing the road on the 7th of this month. Despite receiving maximum treatment, he was declared brain dead yesterday. Following this, his family made the courageous decision to donate his organs. His heart was successfully transplanted into Ajin Eliyas, a native of Angamaly, at Lissy Hospital in Kochi. This marked the 29th heart transplant surgery performed at the hospital. Hospital sources confirmed that Isaac George’s heart has begun beating in Ajin Eliyas.