Shaniya Persaud, the seven-year-old girl who sustained second and third degree burns to 98 percent of her body when she walked out of her family’s burning Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home two Sundays ago, has successfully undergone the first round of her treatment.
Non-governmental organization, Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA), has confirmed that little Persaud had her first phase of treatment which included the removal of damaged tissues across her entire body.
She will continue with surgery at the Shriners Hospital in Galveston, Texas Today. The treatment is being provided by the hospital at no cost.
The Guyana Standard has been informed that the seven-year-old was only able to leave Guyana after the Rotary Club of Demerara and SHEA managed to raise US$42,000 to medevac Shaniya to the US.
The little girl was sleeping in her Mon Repos’ home when it went up in flames at around 01:00 hr two Sundays ago. Her two older brothers managed to escape unhurt but she was left sleeping in the burning building.
At the time of the fire, the child’s father, a fisherman, was working on sea while her mother, a domestic worker, was said to be helping out at a wedding house in the village.
Guyana Standard has been informed that the little girl told neighbours that she was sleeping when she felt a burning sensation on her feet and then saw bright flames around her. She said that she could not see anything but fire so she closed her eyes and walked towards the area where she knew their door was located.
Neighbours rushed her to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where she was hospitalized for several days until she had to be transported to the hospital in Texas.
