Kottayam: Aparna, an 8-year-old girl was busy taking care of her mother and her 2-year-old brother at Kottayam medical college. Her mother who got semi-paralysed after childbirth was undergoing treatment at the gynecology department of the medical college.

Aparna’s mother Archana, wife of Vennikkulam native Shaijan, was under treatment for over two months after delivery. As the family was living in a rented house, there were no relatives to help them. In this situation, Aparna, a class 3 student, started nursing her mother. The girl surprised everyone by taking care of her mother and 2-year-old brother.

Everyday morning, she visited her mother at the special treatment ward and collected breast milk in a pot for her little brother. With the milk, she rushed to the nursery for feeding her brother. People who noticed the girl’s daily routine sympathized with her.

Earlier, Aparna was only engaged in taking care of her younger brother Ashwin. But later, she started purchasing medicine and collecting lab results of the mother. She turned more responsible later as she started purchasing food from canteen and collecting her mother’s breast milk for her baby brother in the nursery.

When she was engaged in the role of mother's bystander, she either put her brother to sleep at the nursery or took him with her. Though her father was also in the hospital, he was restricted from entering the women’s ward. Security officer Rajasree, hospital staff Shahul Hameed and others also helped Aparna.

Finally, Aparna’s mother Archana got discharged from the hospital on Friday. The hospital staff and the Rotary Club surprised the family by arranging a warm farewell to little Aparna. They also gifted her a television so that she can attend online classes.