Mammootty responds to CK Saseendran's appeal, helps Nepali teenager get free heart treatment in Kerala

The 17-year-old, who had to discontinue his studies due to a congenital heart defect, was treated free of cost under the ‘Hrudyam’ project run jointly by Rajagiri Hospital and Care and Share International Foundation.

Kochi: Former Kalpetta MLA C.K. Saseendran rarely wears footwear. A man who walks close to the earth, he understands the struggles and silent pain people carry in their hearts. It did not take him long to notice a Nepali boy struggling to breathe while living in a cattle shed on his farm in Wayanad. Holding the hand of 17-year-old Bikram, Saseendran set out down the mountain roads of Wayanad, seeking help from actor Mammootty, who helped arrange treatment at Rajagiri Hospital in Aluva.

“If Saseendran has requested something, it must be for someone who truly deserves it,” Mammootty reportedly told officials of the Care and Share International Foundation.

Following Mammootty's instructions, Bikram was provided free treatment under the ‘Hrudyam’ project, jointly implemented by Care and Share International Foundation and Rajagiri Hospital. After completing his treatment, Bikram was discharged from the hospital recently, with a smile on his face and renewed hope for the future. He can now look forward to life without the breathlessness that had held him back for years.

The story of Mammootty's compassion, reaching beyond borders, began on Saseendran's farm in Wayanad. Bikram and his family moved to the district three years ago with his father, Dallo Saudi, who initially found work on Saseendran's farm.

It was while enquiring about the family's well-being that Saseendran learnt about Bikram's health problems. Although a talented volleyball player, the teenager had to discontinue his studies in Class 8 because of severe breathlessness.

Concerned about the boy and his family's distress, Saseendran contacted doctors at Kozhikode Medical College. Medical examinations revealed that Bikram had a congenital heart defect called Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), along with pulmonary arterial hypertension, a condition characterised by high blood pressure in the arteries supplying the lungs.

Medication helped control his condition, but it did not offer a complete solution. Meanwhile, his breathing difficulties worsened. Unable to watch his son struggle, Dallo contacted Saseendran and asked for help.

Saseendran had learnt about Mammootty's charitable organisation, Care and Share International Foundation, through Wayanad native and actor Abu Salim. He approached Mammootty, who asked him to get back to him as soon as possible and instructed the foundation's officials to arrange the treatment free of cost. This paved the way for Bikram's treatment at Rajagiri Hospital.

At the hospital, Bikram and his father met paediatric cardiac surgeon Dr Mustafa Janeel. The high blood pressure in the pulmonary artery posed a challenge to treatment. Subsequently, paediatric cardiologist Dr S. Venkateswaran performed a catheter-based, minimally invasive procedure to close the abnormal opening safely.

Paediatric cardiac surgery consultant Dr Preethi Kathal and paediatric cardiac anaesthesiology consultant Dr Bijina Bharathan K. were also part of the medical team.

The doctors successfully treated Bikram's congenital heart defect. In PDA, an opening between two major blood vessels near the heart fails to close after birth, allowing blood to flow abnormally between them. This can increase the workload on the heart and contribute to high blood pressure in the lungs.

Bikram has been advised to continue taking medication for pulmonary hypertension. Doctors will reassess his condition during a follow-up appointment in a month's time.

With the treatment completed, the 17-year-old is once again dreaming of returning to his studies and making a mark in volleyball.

After Bikram's week-long hospital stay, Saseendran returned to take him back to Wayanad. Reflecting on the experience, the former MLA said Mammootty had demonstrated that humanity transcends the borders people create.