I am a Champion for all kids!
Meet Aria
Age at the time of the Marathon: 9
Diagnosis: Second and Third - Degree Burns
Hometown: New Albany, OH
In September several years ago, Aria was injured in an accident involving a firepit during a backyard gathering that left her with second and third-degree burns all over her body. When the ambulance brought her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s emergency department, she was evaluated and quickly transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Burns caused by flames take 48-72 hours to fully develop before care providers can get a full sense of the injury. Once an assessment could be made, Aria’s multi-disciplinary team, including physicians, surgeons, and therapists, concluded that she had burns on 39% of her body, including her legs, hands, chest and face, and would require skin grafts.
After 12 days of additional issues and intubation, Aria’s breathing tube was removed, and she was transferred from the PICU to the Burn Center. At the Burn Center, Aria’s parents could assist in her care, learning how to change her bandages and helping her during physical therapy.
“It was a learning process but the team at the burn center helped me and answered every question I asked,” recalls Alycia, Aria’s mom.
With help from the child life team, the pain management team, and the Burn Center, Aria continued to heal and show improvement daily. She could go longer between pain medications, was more alert, enjoyed doing arts and crafts, and working on schoolwork, and learned how to walk again. Aria was discharged 33 days after admission. Today she is a physically and mentally healthy 9-year-old in the 3rd grade. She plays club soccer, futsal and is an extremely flexible gymnast.
