Karnataka man sells his land to pay for friend’s liver transplant

BELAGAVI: Nothing could come in the way of their friendship of 35 years, especially when it meant saving the life of one of them. Living up to the saying ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’, a man in Belagavi sold a piece of land he owned to help his friend bear the huge cost of a liver transplant that he underwent about six weeks ago.

Sandeep Muchandi (47), a resident of Belagavi, was suffering from a severe liver-related ailment for a long time and was advised by his doctor to undergo a transplant at the earliest. But hailing from a very poor background, Sandeep, who works in Babulal Pathan’s bicycle repair shop at Bazaar Galli here, had lost all hopes of availing further treatment.

But not the one to give up on his friend, Babulal Pathan (62), a resident of Vishnu Galli, sold off his 1.5 guntas of land and raised Rs 22 lakh for the transplant while Sandeep’s family managed to chip in with Rs 6 lakh. The liver transplant was finally done at the Apollo Hospital in Mumbai last month.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, Babulal Pathan said, “I was ready to go to any extent to help Sandeep. My only aim was to save him. I even thought of asking my son to donate the liver to Sandeep, but decided to arrange for money when the doctors found out that the organs do not match.”

Babulal Pathan (62), a resident of Vishnu Galli, said that he spoke to the doctors in Mumbai about their struggle to raise money for the transplant after which the hospital authorities reduced the bill by Rs 4 lakh as a goodwill gesture.

Babulal, who is known to help people in need, says he has the full support of his family in his endeavours.
Meanwhile, Sandeep has totally recuperated and his condition is normal. He is currently in Mumbai for a routine medical check-up. Sandeep has been married for the last seven years.