Mon Sep 15 18:48:39 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
Two recent heart transplant recipients in Kochi, Ajin Elias and Avani Krishna, are recovering well and have begun eating and communicating. The surgeries were successfully performed in close succession due to the coordination of the State government and the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO). The lead surgeon, Dr. Jose Chacko Periyapuram, expressed hope that the successful surgeries would raise awareness about organ donation after brain death and counter “false propaganda” that had led to a slowdown in donations. The families of the recipients expressed their gratitude to the donor families.
**News Article:**
**Kochi Transplants a Success, Doctors Hope to Revive Organ Donation Awareness**
**KOCHI, September 16, 2025 (The Hindu) -** Two patients who underwent heart transplant surgeries at Lisie Hospital in Kochi are showing strong signs of recovery, offering a hopeful boost to organ donation efforts in Kerala. Ajin Elias and Avani Krishna, the recipients of the new hearts, have begun eating and communicating with medical staff, according to hospital authorities.
Dr. Jose Chacko Periyapuram, who led the surgical team, confirmed that both patients are in satisfactory condition and are expected to be moved to regular rooms within a few days. He emphasized the importance of the successful surgeries in combating what he described as “false propaganda” that had negatively impacted organ donation rates following brain death. “We hope that these surgeries will serve as a powerful example and create renewed momentum for organ donation,” Dr. Periyapuram stated.
The two transplants were completed within a 36-hour period, a feat attributed to the coordinated efforts of the State government and the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO). Hospital Director Fr. Paul Karedan highlighted Minister P. Rajeeve’s intervention, which involved contacting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to arrange for a helicopter to transport an organ. While a helicopter was initially authorized, it was ultimately deemed more efficient to use alternative transportation methods.
The families of Ajin and Avani have expressed their profound gratitude to the families of Isaac George and Biljit Biju, whose hearts made the life-saving transplants possible.
The successful surgeries and the call for renewed awareness come at a critical time for organ donation in the region. Medical professionals and families involved are urging the public to consider the life-saving potential of organ donation and to register as donors. Dr. Jacob Abraham, Dr. Jeevesh J. Thomas, and Dr. Joe Joseph were also present at the press meeting.
First Piper 