When a marriage is made in Madurai hospital

MADURAI: The life of Rita from Uttar Pradesh changed when she stepped into Government Hospital for Respiratory Medicine in Thoppur (GHTH), Madurai. The hospital where once she was battling for her life due to tuberculosis sported a festive look as she celebrated her wedding with her found family of staff and patients.
Rita’s early childhood had been one of misfortune and despair until she found refuge at GHTH. With her father’s death in a road accident and facing isolation from her parents’ families, Rita, her mother Rosebeck and her younger brother Alex came to Madurai, which is her mother’s native place. Rita’s most difficult moment in life came when she was just a teenager as her mother suffered from severe tuberculosis.

“We were hopeless when we first arrived in GHTH in 2015, and I didn’t even speak Tamil well. My mother passed away days after being admitted. I was crying when she died telling us to take care of ourselves. I was overwhelmed when the hospital staff arranged for my mother’s funeral. When my own health worsened due to tuberculosis, I was taken care of like their family member,” she said. For around 40 days, Rita was battling to survive tuberculosis and her weight was only 24 kg.
The young woman recalls that even after getting admitted to a hostel and school with the support of the social welfare department, her home was in GHTH. Once she became an adult, she joined GHTH as a counsellor for patients and resided in the hospital. “My ‘uncle’, Dr S Gandhimathinathan, resident medical officer of the hospital, has always stood by my side over the years and cared for me. Though my mother’s death brought me sadness, now I have several ‘mothers’ in the form of the hospital staff,” added Rita, who is turning 23 in October.

It was a pleasant surprise for Rita when a groom approached her and her ‘family’ for her hand in marriage. A Joseph, who was raised by a single mother, works in administration at Arunachala group of companies. “I read in the news about the ordeal which Rita went through when she was younger,” he said. Rita was thrilled to accept Joseph’s proposal.
Joseph’s mother, Rani, AD Arunjunai, MD, Arunachala group of companies, Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) dean Dr A Rathinavel, and the GHTH staff oversaw the preparations for the wedding.

On Tuesday, Rita’s joy knew no bounds as the hospital staff and patients gathered on the GHTH campus to celebrate her getting married the next day. Even a grand ‘seer varisai’ (a ritual in which gifts are given to a bride from her family) was put together for the bride at the hospital and she received blessings of the hospital staff and patients like how family members would. “I never thought I could have such happiness in my life and my wedding would be such a grand affair. I feel truly blessed,” she said.

The wedding reception was held at Hotel Arunachala on Wednesday.
Rita’s brother, Alex, is completing his diploma course at an ITI.