Doctor's body donated to alma mater in line with her wish

Bringing the focus on cadaver donation, the family of a doctor, who passed away recently, has donated her body to her alma mater for research and study in line with her wish.
74-year-old Dr C Selvakumari, who graduated from the Madras Medical College, was diagnosed with brain tumour in May this year, and she passed away last week.
What makes the gesture unique is that Selvakumari herself broached the idea to her family.
"She studied there and she also taught there. The idea came up because there was shortage in availability of bodies for research and she wanted to be useful to the students. It is a wise wish and we are proud of it," Selvakumari's daughter, Deepa Nandakumar, told PTI.

She said the family had been informed by MMC authorities that her mother was the first doctor to donate her body to her alma mater.
Her mother had started discussing her intent with members of the family once she crossed 70, she said.

"We wholeheartedly support her decision," she said, adding, the MMC will keep the body for a year for the students to conduct research.
"It is a noble deed by mother which makes the family feel she is not dead."
An obstetrician and gynecologist, she had been a guide to many doctors, Dr S Ayyappan, a veterinarian and nephew of Selvakumari, said.

She had been a "moral support to him" though he hailed from a different discipline, he said.
"She is probably the first doctor to donate her body to research and study to the alma mater," he added.
Selvakumari's husband, Capt R Chandrasekhar, said she had had been discussing about donating her body for research for the past few years, adding, the family was 'proud' with her decision to give back to her alma mater in such a manner.
Her decision to donate her body has inspired many others, including family and friends to follow in Selvakumari's footsteps, family members said, highlighting the shortage of cadavers for students to dissect and learn.