Please help this family in storm

On the 10th of November, 3 members of the Keralite community in Putaruru, namely, Mr.Shibu Kochummen, his wife Mrs.Subi Babu and his mother Mrs.Alekutty Daniel, has been admitted to the ICU at Waikato Hospital , Hamilton. Though they exhibit periods of intermittent consciousness , they are for all practical purposes , unresponsive & in a vegetative state.

They have been diagnosed with food poisoning, after having consumed contaminated wild boar. The nature of contamination is yet to be determined. Doctors are puzzled by the severity of the condition as such a potent contaminant has not been reported in NZ since 1983. The forensic department has collected samples of all food items in their home and it has been sent away for testing. A detailed toxicology report is expected by Friday.

The doctors reckon it will take up to 2 months for the poison to be washed out of their body. Only then can they start to recover. Even if they recover consciousness, they may suffer permanent damage to their bodies such as partial or total paralysis or tremors . There will be muscle wastage , which will require intensive physiotherapy. All of this could take up to 6 months or more. Their road to recovery is a long and rocky one. While Shibu & Subi are permanent residents of NZ, Shibu’s mother is on a visit visa. They have 2 children aged 7 and 1, who are currently looked after by their church group. This adds multiple dimensions of complexity to their situation. The Indian High Commission and CYFS are on board with the situation and are actively seeking best solutions.

The needs of the family are many and funds are few. ACC is yet to respond as food poisoning falls in a grey area of ACC acceptance .

The Hamilton Marthoma Congregation, which is a registered charity, is accepting contributions towards this cause .