Fifteen-year-old Keira has come a long way since late 2017, when she suffered from a major burn.
Keira, who was 9 at the time, was holding a hot tray of drinks that spilled on her lap, causing a severe burn to her mid-body region.
Keira’s parents drove her to the nearby Chilliwack General Hospital emergency department. Her burn was treated but her condition worsened and was complicated by the strep throat she had at the time she was injured.
She was transferred to BC Children’s Hospital, where there is a burn unit dedicated to treating children like Keira. Keira was admitted into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with a dangerously high fever. She had contracted sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition, and spent a total of five days in the PICU.
Once stabilized, Keira moved to the burn unit where she spent another 10 days receiving daily burn bath treatments to encourage new skin growth.
After 10 days, Keira was able to go back home to Chilliwack, but she returned to BC Children’s burn clinic for weekly treatments.
Today, Keira returns to the burn clinic every three months and will undergo cosmetic surgery to remove some of the deep scarring. Every time she visits, she stops by the in-patient area to say hi to her nurses. “This has been a traumatic experience for her, but at the same time it has made her very resilient,” notes Keira’s Mom Terresa. “She appreciates everyone at the hospital and feels a sense of connection with her doctors and nurses that have been with her through this whole journey. It a genuine connection between all of them, and we are very thankful.”
Thanks to your support of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, kids like Keira can be cared for in specialized healing environments designed to deliver remarkable treatment, therapy and care.
