A South Cariboo girl was badly burned while working on a science project and brought to the Vancouver Children’s hospital.
Karen Peterson, Presley’s mother, says they’ve received a lot of community support.
“I have the most amazing tribe of humans from all walks of life, all ages, all religions, all backgrounds. The love and support that is oozing out in your words to Presley and I is absolutely inspiring and complete medicine for my soul.”
Among other things, students at the Mile 108 Elementary School have written letters, one woman made her a custom jacket, there was a bake sale and a gofundme was started to help the family, who are in Vancouver to ensure daily care and support. In the first five days, the gofundme has raised over $17,000.
Peterson has been keeping family, friends and community members updated with a Facebook page where she’s shared Presley’s progress.
Some of the more positive updates have included that she will make a full visual recovery (she was wearing glasses) and that she won’t need skin grafts on her face.
However, other updates show some of the struggles Presley and Karen are going through.
“The burn bath did not go as expected. They had to do a deep scrape she was in OR and under anesthesia. I was not allowed in the room. They brought her back after two hours and it was not what I expected. They told us she’d feel better but she came out of the anesthesia screaming in excruciating pain. She screamed over and over that she would rather be dead then do this for one more second. My heart is breaking.”
Among the things Presley has to do are spreading fingers, opening and closing her mouth, lifting her arms, lifting her neck and more. She’ll also require physiotherapy, met with a child psychologist and requires many medications.
“After yesterdays miraculous uncovering of her beautiful face, no one can deny that the power of prayer, love, family, friends, optimism and positivity isn’t real. Keep em coming it is magical what we are capable of,” Peterson says to close out her most recent post.
If you’d like to provide support, you can do so through the gofundme.
This article was published with the family’s permission.
