George Louw explores the life of Mary Verghese who achieved excellence despite the challenges that her disability posed
A severe injury left Mary Verghese a wheelchair user and seemingly shattered her dreams of becoming a doctor. Unbeknownst to her, Mary would become one of the greatest doctors in Indian history and transform the lives of millions of patients with disabilities.
Born in rural southern India as one of eight children, Mary was described as shy, but purposeful and determined in her early life. In an age where girls were expected to settle for marriage and live a domestic life, she pursued education. Mary excelled at school and in tertiary education; starting with a Bachelor of
Arts course but switching to medicine after two years, graduating in 1952. Her aim was to continue her studies in gynaecology once she completed her residency.
However, in 1954, she was critically injured in a motorcar accident on her way to a picnic with fellow doctors and students. The accident left her with a badly damaged face and a severed spinal cord resulting in paraplegia.
The doctor who treated her during rehabilitation described her journey as a three-fold battle of survival: a battle for life; a battle to regain some mobility; and a battle in faith – questioning her religion and questioning what happened to her.
Fortunately, her faith prevailed. She persevered and overcame the darkness of despair at the loss of her dreams and aspirations. During this time, Mary met orthopaedic surgeon Paul Brand. He invited Mary to join him while he performed restorative surgery on patients with leprosy.
He encouraged her to consider specialising in surgery. With her hand function, she would still be able to operate while seated in her chair. This sparked Mary to continue her training and soon she started operating from a specially modified wheelchair.
Apart from being a successful surgeon, she also became an inspiration to her leprosy patients. She had achieved her dreams despite her disability or limitations. Many were inspired to take charge of their lives again. If she could do it, then so could they.
Mary had a very personal way of dealing with her patients. In an article about her life, the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation described Mary as follows: “Her presence was almost always a comfort to patients. Her own example of overcoming overwhelming odds was inspirational and gave many a new goal and a new spirit to face life.”
“Her efforts were aimed at making individuals with disabilities as independent as possible, whether in rural or urban areas. She insisted on their vocational training which made them useful citizens.”
“She encouraged them in word and deed. Just the sight of Mary in her wheelchair, full of patience and courage, showed them by example that life need not end for a person with disability.”
Mary was quoted as saying: “My disability is not a punishment by God. Rather, it is my greatest asset as a doctor.”
In 1957, Mary travelled to Perth, Australia, where she underwent rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Centre of Royal Perth Hospital. Here she learned new skills that improved her mobility and independence. These innovative ideas that included recreational skills and training programmes for participating in Paralympics were a revelation to Mary. It triggered an ideal to create something similar in her home country.
In order to equip herself, Mary travelled to New York, United States (US) where she applied for a fellowship to be trained under Dr Howard Rusk – a leader in the field of physical medicine at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
During her two years of training, she also researched the various types of basic but (at times) ingenious self-help devices that could be put to use in India. She understood that many patients would not be able to afford standard appliances; therefore compromises needed to be made.
After completing her course in the US, Mary spent some time in the United Kingdom, where she visited a number of rehabilitation centres, before returning to India. She got the rehabilitation-centre-ball rolling and in 1963, a Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation was opened in Vellore, India.
Three years later, Mary’s dream of a centre of rehabilitation for persons with disabilities was realised with the official opening of the Rehabilitation Institute – the first of its kind in India. It was envisioned as a centre for healing, restoring, and reaching out to those with disabilities.
Working in the Institute, Mary applied her newly-developed knowledge of innovative appliances gained during her time in the US to design and development of cost-efficient, basic appliances such as long-handled “pickers” that assisted patients with picking up objects, closing windows and turning off lights.
Assistive devices like wheelchairs were redesigned to be more affordable to lower income individuals. Her work was published in a landmark publication titled: “Investigation of methods suitable to village conditions for the rehabilitation of paraplegics and quadriplegics.”
In 1976, Mary retired and returned to her birth-province of Kerala after struggling for more than two years with repeated bouts of fever. Only two years later, she returned to Vellore to continue her crusade for people with disabilities. In the 80s, she established a home for patients with disabilities, particularly for people with paraplegia, which was funded by the trust established in her name.
She would go on to win awards for her work; the prize money of which she would donate to the trust. With her death, Mary bequeathed all her properties to the Trust. She was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the Republic of India, for her outstanding contribution. Her legacy lives on in the lives of all the people, families and communities that have been changed for the better.
