Girl Walks To Take Class XII Exam After Being Bedridden For Six Years

A Chennai girl, who was bedridden for the last six years, appeared for the Class XII state board exam earlier this year. And K Bhuvaneshwari managed to walk to her desk, covering 100m between the hall’s entrance and her desk. The 23-year-old girl has scored 71%. The results were declared recently.

Abandoned by parents in childhood

Bhuvaneshwari's parents abandoned her as a child. Her grandmother raised her. Arthritis had left her fingers twisted and her legs lifeless. Within six months of being diagnosed, she was completely bedridden. The girl, who belongs to a poor family in Perungalathur, sought medical help six years late. Dr S Muthukumar, at Parvathy Hospital, Chromepet, sponsored her treatment.

By the time she was taken to the hospital, both her knees and hips were beyond medical repair. Bhuvaneshwari's perseverance is an inspiring message for others like her diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis — a condition that causes joint inflammation and stiffness in children aged 16 or younger.

Following a year of medical treatment in 2015, Bhuvaneshwari told her doctors she wanted to appear for the Class X board exams in 2016. She didn’t apply under the specially-abled category or ask for extra time. At the time, her brother carried her to the exam. She scored 79% then.

“I’ve come this far with the help of so many people. I know I will be able to walk again,” - K Bhuvaneshwari

Her right knee was bent at a 60-degree angle and her left knee was twisted at 30 degrees. She couldn’t stretch either leg. “We knew helping her walk would boost her confidence. So we decided to take a calculated risk,” said Dr Muthukumar, who was was surprised by her conviction.