A smile as fighter Sophie goes home: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 09 June 2006: 7.
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Abstract
[Sophie]’s father Ron thanked the many “unsung heroes” who helped to save his daughter’s life and the thousands of Australians who had sent their support.
“A lot of people think that we might be the most unlucky family in the world with two accidents, but I like to think the other way, that we’re probably the luckiest parents alive today with having Sophie survive a second accident,” he said.
Doctors say Sophie is not yet “out of the woods”. A 4cm hole in her skull is still causing concern. Attempts to graft skin over the hole have failed and she is now undergoing a new treatment involving a vacuum suction system being placed over the area to encourage tissue growth prior to another skin graft.
Full Text
WEARING a grin and a party dress in her favourite shade of pink, Sophie Delezio left hospital yesterday, five weeks after a second near-fatal accident in which she was hit by a car at a pedestrian crossing.
Clutching a matching bag, and with her head wrapped in bandages, the beaming five-year-old waved as she walked with her family out through the door of the Sydney Children’s Hospital on her prosthetic legs.
Her smile was all the more remarkable given that two weeks ago she underwent the 31st operation of her short life — a painful skin graft to repair damage to her scalp.
Doctors said Sophie’s remarkable spirit would assist in her recovery.
In 2003, she lost both feet and suffered burns to 85 per cent of her body when a car crashed into her childcare centre.
Early last month, she was hit by another car on her way home from school, and spent 10 days of her five-week hospital stay in a medically induced coma to allow her to recover from multiple injuries, including rib fractures, a broken jaw and bruising to her heart and brain.
Pediatrician Jonny Taitz, who treated Sophie after both accidents, said that on each occasion “we thought at times that she would die”.
“I have been a doctor for 15 years and she is the bravest five- year-old I have ever met,” he said.
“The fact that she has been through two serious injuries and recovered so quickly and has a smile on her face is truly inspiring. I think she is going to be a classic over-achiever, maybe a great Paralympian.
“Having gone through so much adversity, the rest will be small challenges for her.”
Sophie’s father Ron thanked the many “unsung heroes” who helped to save his daughter’s life and the thousands of Australians who had sent their support.
“A lot of people think that we might be the most unlucky family in the world with two accidents, but I like to think the other way, that we’re probably the luckiest parents alive today with having Sophie survive a second accident,” he said.
Doctors say Sophie is not yet “out of the woods”. A 4cm hole in her skull is still causing concern. Attempts to graft skin over the hole have failed and she is now undergoing a new treatment involving a vacuum suction system being placed over the area to encourage tissue growth prior to another skin graft.