Chloe's Story

12-year-old Chloe has been a patient at Shriners Children's Boston since she was a toddler, after burning both hands on a pellet stove.

Inspired by the care she received, Chloe has already started raising funds for the hospital to help other children with burn injuries. This year she is leading a team in the Virtual Haunted Walk. Chloe’s mother, Jennifer, shared that Chloe “is so excited about the Haunted Walk, she has big plans and is trying so hard to raise money! I can barely keep up with her ideas!”

When Chloe was just a year old, her father Derek was in the process of filling the pellet stove when little Chloe snuck between his legs and, in an attempt to stand, burned both palms on the hot stove. It all happened so fast that Derek did not have a chance to shield Chloe from the stove. He immediately alerted his wife Jennifer who called 911.

While Chloe experienced burns on both palms, her right hand was more seriously injured. The family lives in Maine and Chloe was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital. It was a cold, snowy December night and the ambulance had trouble on the slippery roads. Chloe’s mom Jennifer, who was with her in the ambulance recalled, “The experience was harrowing and the ambulance nearly went off the road a few times during the snowstorm”.

Once at the hospital, doctors recommended transferring Chloe to Shriners Children's Boston. The severe weather delayed the transfer so an on-call local hand surgeon examined Chloe’s injuries. His initial diagnosis was that Chloe’s hand would heal and she did not need the specialized burn care provided by Shriners Children's Boston.

Jennifer was concerned that Chloe’s case was more serious, but she trusted the hand surgeon’s assessment. Two weeks later during Chloe’s follow up visit with the surgeon; it was clear that her hand injuries were more complicated than his initial diagnosis indicated. Chloe’s fingers and right hand had fused into a tight fist. The surgeon recommended occupational therapy, which Chloe participated in for about a year and a half. While Chloe’s hand improved somewhat, Jennifer and Derek decided to seek treatment at Shriners Children's Boston to see if more could be done for their daughter. Chloe had her first skin graft surgery at Shriners Children's Boston with Matthias Donelan, M.D., plastic surgeon, to repair and mobilize her right hand.

“I can’t imagine what would have become of Chloe’s hand if we did not come to Shriners Children's Boston for care. I am grateful for the expertise, compassion and philanthropic support that made Chloe’s care possible,” she said.

Chloe has had three surgical procedures at Shriners Children's Boston. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chloe and her family have been making the trip to Boston from Hudson, Maine, using Patient AirLift Services (PALS). She is most grateful to Dr. Donelan and her favorite person at the hospital is Child Life Specialist, Rebecca Wildes.

Jennifer would also like to thank Janice Young from the Anah Shriners Sunshine Club. “Janice connected us with PALS which was so helpful. She has been a lifesaver and the club has helped with most of our travel expenses through the years.”

Last holiday season, Chloe and her best friend Courtney sold homemade Christmas ornaments and hot chocolate at a tree and wreath company owned by Chloe’s uncle, to benefit Shriners Children's Boston. Chloe said, “Shriners has done so much for me and I wanted to give back!” Chloe’s Virtual Haunted Walk team has already exceeded her initial fundraising goal! Chloe has now increased that goal and is telling friends and family how they can help patients like her by supporting her Virtual Haunted Walk team. Check out her team page at Chloe’s team page.