Accident on wedding day: Hospital announces free treatment to Avani

KOCHI: VPS Lakeshore Hospital has announced that Avani, who sustained a severe spinal injury in a car accident on her wedding day in Alappuzha, will receive free treatment. The hospital decided to cover the cost of her surgery and care as a wedding gift to Avani and her groom, Sharon. A team led by Managing Director S. K. Abdullah visited the couple and their family.

Meanwhile, Avani’s spinal surgery, necessitated by the accident, was successfully completed this afternoon. The procedure was performed under the supervision of Dr Sudheesh Karunakaran, head of the Neurosurgery Department. Hospital authorities stated that a detailed medical report outlining the injury will be issued soon. The surgery began at 9.45 a.m., and Avani remains under close observation in the Surgical ICU, where she will stay until her condition stabilises.

The accident happened early yesterday at around 1.30 a.m., when Avani left for Kumarakom with her relative Anandu and her aunt Jaynamma to get her wedding makeup done. Around 3 a.m., the car lost control and hit a tree near Choolappalam on the Cherthala–Kumarakom road. Avani suffered spinal and hand injuries. Her fractured hand has been plastered. All three injured persons were first taken to Kottayam Medical College Hospital, and Avani was later shifted to Lakeshore Hospital.

The wedding was scheduled between 12.15 p.m. and 12.25 p.m. yesterday at the Shakthi Auditorium in Alappuzha. Avani is the daughter of Jagadeesh and Jyothi from Muthalasheri House, Kommadi. The groom, Sharon, works as an assistant professor at K.V.M. Engineering College, Cherthala, and Avani is a teacher at Bishop Moore School, Cherthala.

Despite the unexpected accident, Sharon married Avani at the hospital itself. The ceremony took place at the originally planned auspicious time. Although the wedding took place inside the hospital, relatives and friends gathered at the auditorium as scheduled. At the exact muhurtham, they recited Daivadasakam in front of the portrait of Sree Narayana Guru at the wedding platform. A traditional sadya was served afterwards. Both families had also taken part together in the wedding reception on the day before the wedding.