Body of old woman donated to MMC

The 80-year-old woman’s eyes were harvested by Aravind Eye Hospital

Paramakudi Pandiaraj displaying the will of his mother, whose body wasdonated to the Madurai Medical College on Saturday. — PHOTO: G. MOORTHY

For the family of advocate Paramakudi Pandiaraj, Friday night was a moment for a noble cause.

In spite of grief, the family fulfilled the wish and commitment of an elderly woman, who passed away, by donating her body to the Madurai Medical College (MMC). Her eyes were donated to Aravind Eye Hospital (AEH).

Mr. Pandiaraj’s 80-year-old mother P. Karuppayi died at the Deputy Collector’s Colony residence here at around 10 p.m. on Friday.

“In May, my mother gave her consent form and registered it at MMC and AEH. She authorised me to execute the will. I am glad that my mother’s body will be useful,” her 44-year-old son Pandiaraj said on Saturday.

While her eyes were harvested by the AEH at 1 a.m., the body was handed over to the anatomy wing of MMC in the afternoon. Mr. Pandiaraj observed that medical students needed bodies for education and hence his family, including wife P. Kavitha, had already pledged to donate their bodies.

“I will make my school-going children too realise the importance of body donation. They will also come forward to do that in future,” he said.

A professor in the Department of Anatomy said that cadavers would be useful to students since they could dissect the body during the learning process.