THRISSUR: Few might have embraced the true spirit of Vishu like little Olivea. When the eight-year-old Pattikkad native came to know that her neighbour ‘uncle’ Sunilkumar — a kidney patient — was in dire need of money, she knew she couldn’t let the 43-year-old man and his family suffer on the day of prosperity.
Sunilkumar, whose wife had recovered from breast cancer only recently, was struggling to gather enough money for his dialysis and medicines after being hit hard by the pandemic and the cost of his wife’s treatment.
Olivea, who knew she had to do her bit to help the family, discussed the matter with her father Joby Chuvannamannu and came up with an idea. Considering their high demand a day ahead of Vishu, they walked around the neighbourhood collecting ‘kanikkonna’ flowers — an integral component of vishukkani.
On Tuesday, Olivea took to the roadside with a signboard that read: ‘Kanikkonna for sale. Any amount collected will be used to support a kidney patient’, and collected a small but significant amount of Rs 1,850.
“So many people helped us. I am very happy I could do my part to help uncle,” she said. She hopes Sunilkumar can use the money, which she will hand over to the family on the day of Vishu, for his dialysis and medicines. Olivea’s mother Blessy works in Israel and father Joby is an autorickshaw driver.