FM Radio, a long drive could save a life

Dr Cherian would check on the progress in detail and discuss the next week’s schedule before leaving for Chennai.

MMM had bought the just introduced Hyundai Sonata, which Dr Cherian was able to use for his weekly drives to Pondicherry. It was a big, comfortable car, made more attractive by its FM Radio, which made the tedious drives enjoyable. 

During one such drive back to Chennai, he tuned in to BBC Asia News. There was a news feature talking about a sick child who needed to be flown to Paris from war-torn Afghanistan for heart surgery. 

“Why should the child be put through the hardship of a long flight to Paris, when she could have the surgery much closer to home?” was a question which immediately flashed across his mind. 

As the thought manifested itself into a feasible possibility, Dr Cherian worried about how he could arrange for this throughout his drive.

The news of this Afghan child needing surgery was flashed in most of the leading newspapers in the UK. 

Monday morning Dr Cherian put his thoughts to action and called his friend Michael, the British High Commissioner in Chennai. Dr Cherian offered free surgery if the child could be brought to Chennai.

The air travel from Kabul to Delhi to Chennai would be just 3 and 1/2 hours flying time. Mr Michael contacted Kabul and located the child, Seema, in a destitute home there. 

The British team that reached the home to retrieve Seema, also identified another sick boy, a Blue-baby. 

The boy pleaded with them to take him along with Seema for treatment. Though the team found it embarrassing to impose on Dr Cherian, the doctor willingly offered to treat the boy as well when he learnt of his plight. Being destitutes, the children had no guardian who could accompany them to Chennai. 

When this news update was featured in London, a volunteer of Afghan origin who was a second year medical student stepped forward.

The children reached Chennai safely. Both had complex heart defects which needed immediate attention and were operated on the same day. 

Michel and his wife visited them regularly in the CCU with toys, sweets and flowers. Upon discharge on the 6th day, a visit to Marina Beach was arranged by them as these children have never seen the sea.

On the day of their departure, it was heartening to see many students from Anna Nagar visit the hospital with gifts to bid farewell. The children concluded their life-changing journey with a visit to Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi, at the invitation of the President of India and had tea with him before leaving for Kabul. 

A few years later, Dr Cherian received a call from the US Consulate. He was asked if he would meet with an American couple from New Jersey who had adopted Seema. When Dr Cherian saw Seema, he was pleased to see a beautiful Afghan girl, in the pink of health. 

Seema was in touch with Dr Cherian until she started University education.

Dr Cherian says, “Not everyone gets an opportunity to serve, just a fortunate few. They have some common characteristics however: they are alert, open and proactive. If one has these virtues, one can rise up to any situation good or bad and help anyone in need.”