Carmen Schleppy age 10
SEVERE BURN
Carmen is a survivor in more ways than one. The
bubbly 10-year-old has a contagious smile and
a can-do attitude that has seen her through a
horrific ordeal that began in May 2011. Carmen
was trying to warm up by the fireplace when her skirt caught on fire. She was
rushed to the hospital and immediately airlifted to the Speedway Burn Center at
Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, Indiana’s only pediatric burn center. She
suffered burns on 60% of her body, requiring nine surgeries and a three-month
stay at Riley.
Since her stay at Riley, Carmen has been working to help other burn survivors
by raising money for Hoosier Burn Camp, and is currently working with nurses
at Riley to start Compression for Compassion, a program to send compression
garments to burn survivors in third world countries. She happily donated her
own garments to the cause and encourages others to do the same. Carmen is
a cheerleader and is part of a tumbling team where she has mastered her back
walkover and back handspring. To this day, she continues to show her strength
and perseverance, and has demonstrated she could overcome these severe burns
with a positive spirit and a can-do attitude.