— By Shankar Raj*
Ten-Month-Old Aalin Sherin Abraham’s Gift Turns Tragedy into Life
Thiruvananthapuram: In a story of heartbreak transformed into hope, ten-month-old Aalin Sherin Abraham of Mallappally in Pathanamthitta district has become Kerala’s youngest organ donor, her brief life leaving an enduring mark on those she saved. On Friday, her organs brought new life to at least four or five patients, including a six-month-old infant, a ten-year-old child, and other recipients of liver, kidney, heart valves, and cornea transplants.
Aalin’s journey began with tragedy. On February 5, 2026, she was travelling from Kottayam to Tiruvalla with her mother and maternal grandparents when their car collided with another vehicle near Pallam-Borma Junction. She lost consciousness immediately, while the others sustained serious injuries. She was first treated at hospitals in Changanacherry and Tiruvalla, but as her condition failed to improve, she was shifted to Amrita Hospital in Kochi on February 6. Despite intensive medical care, she was declared brain dead on February 13.
Amid their overwhelming grief, Aalin’s parents, Arun Abraham and Sherin Ann John, made a decision that would transform despair into hope for others. They consented to donate her kidneys, liver, eyes, and heart valves, ensuring that her passing would save lives. With police support enabling a green corridor, the organs were transported over 220 kilometres from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram in just over three hours, reaching KIMS Health, Government Medical College Hospital, and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology.
The donation process was overseen by the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO). Dr Noble Gracious, K-SOTTO executive director, confirmed that her liver went to a six-month-old infant at KIMS Health, one kidney to a ten-year-old child at Government Medical College Hospital, the other kidney to another recipient at KIMS Health, her heart valves to Sree Chitra Hospital, and her corneas to an eye bank to restore sight. Dr Noble emphasised that paediatric organ donation involves complex medical procedures, careful recipient matching, and higher medication requirements, but ultimately relies on the consent and courage of parents.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George expressed profound sorrow over Aalin’s death and publicly thanked her parents for their extraordinary decision, recognising the selflessness and humanity reflected in their choice.
Following inquest proceedings and a guard of honour, Aalin’s body was handed over to her family. Her organs’ journey from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram and the lives they now sustain stand as a living testament to compassion, courage, and the enduring bonds that define humanity—even in the shadow of loss. In a world too often marked by tragedy, Aalin’s story reminds us that love and hope can prevail, even in the smallest and briefest of lives.
*Senior journalist and a former editor of The New Indian Express, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram.
