Mangalore: Marina Cutinho gets New Lease of Life After Kidney Transplant
Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Oct 31: When God closes all doors, He opens one window. In the life of seventeen-year-old Marina Cutinho, daughter of Charles and Mabel Cutinho of Bola near Naringana, there lies a hope, which is getting stronger with each passing day.
As if struck by lightening, the joys of the ever-smiling and active Marina were snatched away by fate when she was detected to be suffering from kidney failure.
Indeed a Passover from death to life, Marina today lives to see another sunrise in her life. At a time when Marina battled between life and death, her mother stepped forward to donate her kidney to the apple of her eye.
On Wednesday, Oct 26, Marina received one kidney from her mother. Motherly love snatched her from the jaws of death. Today she lies on a bed in the University Medical Hospital (UMC) here in pain. But this pain is nullified before the joy got from her second birth as it can be called.
Marina’s new life comes to her from the goodness of those who stepped forward to reach out to her. The family put its entire savings into her treatment. Even a loan of Rs 1 lac did not suffice.
Marina was in Fr Muller Hospital where her father, a simple mechanic spent Rs 1 lac on her treatment. She was shifted to UMC Hospital at Jyothi where she was treated at a cost of Rs 1.5 lac for a period of three months.
It was at this juncture that they approached Daijiworld and with one appeal on the website, many were moved. Help started pouring in from all corners.
“I had lost all hope, but it was after Daijiworld published an appeal, and money for her treatment came in, that hope kindled again. If not for Daijiworld readers, whose benevolence collected Rs 3.5 lac for Marina’s treatment, Marina would not have seen the light of the day,” expressed Charles Cutinho with tears in his eyes.
After numerous tests, Marina underwent a kidney transplant at a cost of Rs 2.3 lac. The St Vincent Paul Sodality collected Rs 60,000 while Rs 30,000 was collected from appeals published in few Konkani periodicals.
Post operation Marina has been kept in a special ICU where she is attended by a nurse round the clock.
“She is highly prone to infection and this can be fatal. Even after being discharged from hospital after 15 days, Marina will have to be kept away from any infection for a period of six month," informed Charles.
Her mother Mabel Cutinho who never hesitated to give away her kidney to save her daughter, is recovering.
At this juncture the family stands grateful to all those who came forward to lend a helping hand to Marina. Solace also came in the form of words of comfort from various parishioners. The team of doctors and the staff of UMC hospital who walked an extra mile to care for her, have a major role to play in winning life for Marina.
Marina lives today only because of the benevolence of people and the efforts of her family and the doctors.
The cup of suffering has not passed them. For the next 3 years Marina’s family will have to spend around Rs 15,000 each month on her treatment. The family which has no strong financial resources will have to depend on people for assistance.
Lets help Marina walk her way to health.
Marina Cutinho
2 / 78 Cutinho House, Bola
P.O Naringana
Mangalore 575 018
Ph: +91 824 2284256 (Res)
+91 93424 64862 (Charles Cutinho)
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