Five lives saved through organ donation of 17-year-old Ayona Monson

Kannur, Kerala, Jan 16, 2025: In an extraordinary act of compassion amid personal tragedy, the organs of 17-year-old Ayona Monson were donated after she was declared brain-dead, saving the lives of five critically ill patients across Kerala.

Ayona, a Plus Two student of Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Payyavoor, in Kannur district, sustained severe head injuries after a fall from the third floor of her school building on January 12. She was initially taken to a nearby hospital and later shifted to Aster MIMS Hospital, where she was placed on ventilator support. Despite sustained medical efforts, doctors declared her brain-dead late on January 14.

In a courageous decision taken at a moment of profound grief, Ayona’s parents, K. M. Monson and Anita Monson, consented to donate her organs, allowing her life to continue in others.

Following the declaration of brain death, a multi-organ retrieval procedure was carried out at Aster MIMS Hospital under the coordination of the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO). Ayona’s liver, both kidneys and corneas were successfully harvested and allocated to patients in urgent need.

One kidney was transplanted at Aster MIMS Hospital, Kozhikode, while the second kidney was transported to Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, for transplantation. The inter-district transport of the organ by a commercial airline marked a first for Kerala, demonstrating advanced coordination among medical teams, aviation authorities and the police, who facilitated swift road movement through green corridors.

Her liver was transplanted at Meitra Hospital, Kozhikode, while her corneas were allocated to Thalassery District Hospital, restoring vision to two individuals.

Health officials described the donation as a landmark moment, highlighting both the family’s generosity and the efficiency of the state’s organ-sharing network. Authorities noted that the timely coordination between hospitals ensured that all organs reached recipients within the critical time window.

Ayona was remembered by teachers and classmates as a bright and gentle student with a promising future. While her untimely death has left the community in deep mourning, her family has found solace in knowing that her organs have given others a second chance at life.

The incident has once again brought attention to the importance of organ donation and the life-saving impact such decisions can have, even in moments of immense loss.

By Fr. Suresh Mathew

Image credit: Kaumudi Online