At just one and a half years old, Radhika Sharma’s life took an unimaginable turn when she accidentally fell into a container of hot oil at her home. What should have been a carefree childhood moment became a medical emergency of the highest order. She was rushed to Nelson Hospital in a critical state. Doctors diagnosed her with 40% deep (Grade III) burns and burn shock, a life-threatening condition, especially in such a young child. Severe burns affected her upper and lower limbs, buttocks, and perineal region.

 

The extent of injury, coupled with her tender age and limited available donor skin for grafting, made the situation extraordinarily challenging. Under the leadership of senior plastic surgeon Dr Rewanwar, and with the expertise of pediatrician Dr Anupam Bahe, intensivists, anesthetists, PICU specialists, and dedicated nursing staff, a comprehensive treatment plan was initiated. Her journey to recovery was long and complex. She underwent 16 carefully planned reconstructive procedures, including escharectomy, multiple debridements, skin grafting, VAC therapy, and repeated graft and donor site dressings. Finally, after nearly ten weeks of intensive care and reconstruction, Radhika was discharged stable, healed, and without long-term disability. She returned home not just as a patient who survived severe burns, but as a symbol of courage and medical excellence.