Heart Matters: Alchemy

The Madras Medical Mission, (MMM) a charitable society, was in the planning stage. Though the idea was mooted in 1986, the planning had been stalled as Dr. Cherian was in the USA for over a year to garner financial support for the Mission. A cardiac surgeon, he had decided to start with a Cardiac Vascular Surgery Unit along with a hundred and four like-minded people from the Syrian Orthodox Church at Broadway, Chennai. It would be the first cardiac specialty hospital in the country. MMM initiated its activities in June 1987, at a rented location within the premises of Vijaya Hospital, a well-known hospital in Madras, started by Mr. B. Nagai Reddy of Vijaya Vauhini Studio.        

Dr. Cherian decided to procure the heartlung machine for MMM and flew to Charlotte from Baltimore, his brother’s residence. He then had to travel a distance of 15 miles from the airport to the headquarters of the Evangelist Association in BG Parkway, Charlotte, North Carolina. He rented a car and drove to a motel close to the Evangelist Headquarters. He missed his turning to the motel and had to travel nearly five more miles before he could turn back. Driving cautiously to avoid missing the turn again, he was on high alert. This helped him avoid a car that literally came out of nowhere. He had a narrow escape by the Grace of God. Thoroughly shaken, he finally reached his motel around midnight. 

The next morning on reaching the address, he was sorely disappointed. The heart-lung machine was in very bad shape. It was very old and some essential parts were missing. The man who showed Dr. Cherian the machine could sense the doctor’s disappointment, but was unable to help. It was a gloomy but safe return journey. 

His hopes had been dashed, but God works in mysterious ways. Dr. Cherian’s good intentions were rewarded. Even before he left the USA, he got a call from Dr. Philip Jacob, his colleague during his Senior House Surgency days in CMC Hospital, Vellore, who offered to donate a Heart-Lung machine. Apart from the Heart Lung machine, some of the vital equipments necessary to start Open Heart Surgery Unit were donated by St. Vincent’s Hospital, Portland, Oregon. 

“My genuine intentions were rewarded. We acquired the machine, though from a different source. Lady Luck did not forsake me. Earl Mayer Chiles, the President of Chiles Foundation and Fred Mayor group of companies arranged to transport the equipments free of cost and they reached Madras on 8th March 1987 my birthday”, he recalls.

When Dr. Cherian returned, he was delighted that the Heart-Lung machine had already reached Madras. 

Just as the old king Melchizedek says in the novel Alchemist, “When you want something, all the Universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”  

Dr. Cherian felt this. He says, “Life is beautiful if one dares to dream and is ready to chase it irrespective of the types of challenges thrust upon one.”