Karnataka - Bangalore

The brush made him forget the pain

By Sahana Charan

Painter Nicholas (left) with his father Victor at Sagar Apollo Hospital in Bangalore. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE, JAN. 1. For 27-year-old Nicholas from Kenya, art is the best healer. As his father, Victor, recuperated from a kidney transplant at Sagar Apollo Hospital here, the son poured out his emotions to make beautiful paintings.

Mr. Victor (59) came all the way from Nairobi last November to undergo kidney transplantation.

He had been suffering from kidney failure (chronic glomerulo nephritis) for more than a year and was on regular dialysis.

When he and his family decided that he should undergo a transplant, his nephrologist back home and friends suggested that he go to Sagar Apollo Hospital for treatment.

"The quality of healthcare here is much better than in Kenya and the cost is also lower in India," Mr. Victor said.

The operation was performed on November 29.

The kidney was donated by Mr. Nicholas, who is a professional artist.

While he was recuperating, Mr. Nicholas thought it better to spend his time in a meaningful way.

He created six paintings during his stay in the hospital, drawing from his imagination and from what he felt about the whole experience.

He has donated all his paintings to the hospital to show his gratitude.

"Art makes the pain go away. The healing process is faster," says the soft-spoken Mr. Nicholas.

"I thought that instead of just lying in the hospital I would rather paint. Since I was confined to the room, I drew inspiration from my memories of home," he said. One of his paintings show people resting on a boat harboured on a beach. The boat is called Apollo.

"I painted that one just after our surgery to show that it was time to relax."

Asked how he felt now, Mr. Nicholas smiled and said: "I can even run a marathon."

As for his father, he said he is feeling a lot better.

According to Dilip C. Dhanpal, co-ordinator (Urological and Transplant Service) at Sagar Apollo, when Mr. Victor was brought to the hospital he was in severe pain and could not even walk.

One of the highlights of the operation was that the team of doctors, led by the nephrologist, Sanjeev Hiremath, conducted a `laparoscopic nephrectomy' on the donor to remove the kidney, which means that a laparoscope was inserted through a keyhole and only a small incision was made to take out the organ. "In this way, the healing is faster as the incision made is small," Dr. Dhanpal told The Hindu.

He said that the hospital had a nine-member ethics committee to look into transplantation cases.

"I am able to walk now. The people here are very friendly and have taken good care of us," Mr. Victor said.

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