Brave girl's birthday this week

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 16, 18 September 1984, Page 2

Brave girl's birthday this week

Michelle Hansen's tenth birthday celebrations this Thursday proves to her family and friends, that she is truly a courageous girl who does not know the meaning of defeat. The Raetihi Primary School girl was badly injured when her nightie caught fire at 7.30pm on Saturday 19 June 1982. Before the flames could be extinguished, she had suffered third degree burns to 75% of her body, which also scarred the lower part of her face. She was first treated at Waimarino Hospital then flown by Wanganui Aero Work's helicopter to Wanganui Base. The pilot was Doug McKenzie who died in December of the same year in the helicopter tragedy on Mt Ruapehu. Because of the extent and seriousness of Michelle's injuries, it was decided that she should be sent to the special burns unit at Lower Hutt Hospital where a new dry fluid bed for burns victims had just been commissioned. While at Hutt Hospital, Michelle had a series of ten operations and skin grafts. Her parents, Andrew and

Wendy Hansen, lived in Wellington throughout Michelle's hospitalisation. Andrew's employers, the New Zealand Railways, granted him a transfer to the Hutt Valley track gang so that the family were able to stay close to Michelle and her father was able to become a donor for her skin graft operations. It was Michelle's family who contributed in no small way to her recovery programme. Her grandmother, Mrs Connie Phillips of Rangataua sat with Michelle every day from 9 o'clock in the morning until 6.30 in the evening, helping to bathe and feed her as well as speakifig words of encouragement.

Michelle's other grandmother, Mrs Pat Hansen of Raetihi, helped the family financially throughout the difficult period. The overwhelming love and concern for Michelle from her parents, sisters 'Bubbles', Sherry, Cindy and brother Andrew, along with grandparents and friends enabled Michelle to make a speedy recovery, so much so that she was able to return home to Raetihi exactly six months after the accident, on 19 December. Since then, Michelle's specialist, Doctor Lovie at Palmerston North Hospital has continued skin graft operations. More recently he was able to perform an operation never previously done in this country, Michelle being the 'guinea pig' as it were. He took from the top of her head, a piece of skin in a crescent shape and grafted it into the bottom part of her head extending from ear to ear. ' This enabled Michelle to finally discard the mask she had been wearing since the accident to protect her face. She will continue to have operations for years to come but her determination and courage together with the strong family care, love and support she has received and will continue to receive, will enable her to see it through.