Their hearts beat as one, despite belonging to different age groups.
Having recuperated after bypass surgeries, over 600 men and women gathered at Lisie Hospital in Kochi on Sunday in a rare union titled ‘Hridayasangamam’ (union of hearts), organised by the hospital in association with the Heart Care Foundation.
Leading the group was none other than 94-year-old Padmabhushan Dr M.V. Pylee, former vice-chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), who underwent an open heart surgery just five years ago and is hale and hearty today.
He is now under the care of Padmashri Dr Jose Chacko Peria-ppuram, the chairman of the Heart Care Foundation and the chief cardiac surgeon at Lisie hospital.
Almost all those who had come for the reunion had doubts aplenty to clear and a panel of doctors was ready to answer them. The panelists were Dr T.K. Joseph, physician, Dr Thomas Stephen, cardiac surgeon, Dr Jose Chacko Periappuram, Dr Nisha Vincent, dietician and Mr Dany, physiotherapist.
The reunion was organised by Dr Periappuram and others after noticing that very often people who had undergone bypass sur-geries felt lonely and unsure of their health.
“Even after such a surgery, they can lead a very normal life and they too can go about their daily chores and duties just as well as the others, ” said Dr Periappuram.
The Social Excellence Award instituted by the Foundation was presented by Mr Christy Fernandez, principal secretary to the President of India, to Mrs Uma Preman, founder of Shanthi Medical Information Centre, Guruvayur.