Healing Beyond the Surface: How Shriners Children's Burn Care Changed Leslie’s Life
Leslie was just 16 when her life changed in an instant.
On a cold night in her snowy hometown of Springerville, Arizona, Leslie was tending to the family’s indoor wood fire stove. To get the fire going, she added diesel to the wood inside, but the bottle overheated and the fuel caught fire and exploded, engulfing her in flames.
Despite the chaos, Leslie’s first thought was for her younger sister. She searched the house until she found her sister safely outside, having jumped from a window. In her own attempt to extinguish the flames, Leslie tried to stop, drop and roll, only to discover this fire safety technique is not as effective with chemical fire. A neighbor eventually smothered the fire with a blanket, but the damage had been done.
Adrenaline masked the pain, leaving Leslie unaware of the severity of her injuries. By the time help arrived, she had sustained burns on 80% of her body. After being airlifted to a nearby hospital, she spent nearly two months in a coma. When she awoke, she learned that her legs had been amputated – below the knee on one side, above the knee on the other – as her body had been unable to heal them.
Finding Care and Hope at Shriners Children’s
In the aftermath of the accident, Leslie and her family faced overwhelming challenges, including financial struggles and finding a place to live. A child life specialist, Erica, introduced them to Shriners Children’s Northern California, where Leslie could access the specialized burn care she desperately needed at no cost to her family.
The Neil Reitman Pediatric Burn Institute is widely recognized as one of the world's leading pediatric burn research and treatment centers in the United States. The institute provides all aspects of burn care – from initial management, critical care and wound coverage – to rehabilitation, inpatient care and reconstruction.
Shriners Children’s Northern California has the largest pediatric burn treatment center west of the Mississippi. Many hospitals and healthcare systems refer their most complex and complicated patients because of the training and expertise of the Shriners Children's burn doctors, and their ability to treat the most complicated and life-threatening burn injuries.
At Shriners Children’s, Leslie underwent numerous skin graft surgeries, with tissue taken from her back to repair burns across her body. She also began reconstructive treatments, including tissue expanders in her cheeks, to restore a sense of normalcy and comfort in her appearance.
A skin graft is the removal and placement of a patient’s healthy, unburned skin onto the area of the burn, which helps it heal.
A tissue expander is a temporary implant that is used to stretch the skin and muscles in preparation for a permanent implant or reconstruction.
Leslie’s care team, including Jason Heard, M.D., Heather Rojas, NP, and David Greenhalgh, M.D., emeritus chief of burns, have supported her through this journey. While the details of her surgeries make her nervous, Leslie finds reassurance in how thoroughly her care team explains every procedure.
I’ve had to slow down a lot, but I know I can get back to doing the things I love.
Adapting to a New Normal
Adjusting to life without legs hasn’t been easy. Leslie works closely with Eric in Shriners Children’s Northern California's Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services department, and now has two prosthetic legs. While they’ve helped her regain mobility, the process has been frustrating at times – especially for someone who used to love playing soccer. She spends her time between learning how to walk again and using a wheelchair.
Following her surgeries, Leslie attended daily physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions to help build her strength and learn how to go about her everyday life. It’s been almost two years, and she still goes to therapy, although less frequently.
“I’ve had to slow down a lot,” Leslie said. “But I know I can get back to doing the things I love.”
Determined to reclaim her passions, Leslie is working toward graduating from high school. Online classes and at-home teaching have made it possible, though navigating life using a wheelchair has added challenges.
Dreams for the Future
Inspired by her love for animals, Leslie dreams of becoming an animal-assisted therapist or a veterinarian. With help from Shriners Children’s Northern California staff, she’s starting to apply to colleges, including Grand Canyon University, where she hopes to take faith-based courses.
In the meantime, Leslie finds joy in her hobbies. She’s an avid crocheter, a skill she picked up from her mom while recovering in the hospital. Together, they make headbands, flower bouquets and tops. She also enjoys baking, experimenting with cakes and recipes she finds online, and reading fantasy novels.
Leslie’s resilience and determination shine as she rebuilds her life. Though her journey is far from over, she finds strength in her faith, family and the care she’s received at Shriners Children’s Northern California.
With each step forward – whether it’s learning to walk with prosthetics, continuing her education or pursuing her dreams – Leslie is proving that even in the face of unimaginable challenges, hope and healing are possible.
