INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — There are calls for change after an exclusive WCNC Charlotte Defenders investigation revealed a gap in medical treatment for severe burns.
An Indian Trail mom is coming forward saying she had to drive her one-year-old child more than two hours away for treatment to a burn unit in Chapel Hill.
The only other burn unit is about 80 miles away from Charlotte in Winston Salem. There are no burn centers in Charlotte, North Carolina’s biggest city.
The one-year old’s mother, Gilda Maras, says he was burned by a commercial vacuum in October. At the time, she had no idea how far she would have to go for treatment, from her home in Indian Trail to Chapel Hill.
Her son, Lian, has come a long way since the burn. On Monday, he appeared in good spirits and had a big smile in his home. However, his mom says he has a lasting memory on his hand from the 3rd-degree burns he suffered in October.
“He will have a scar for the rest of his life,” Maras said. “I think he was shocked the vacuum had done so much damage.”
Maras said she was also shocked about where she had to go for treatment.
“I don't think it's right,” Maras said. “More shocked than surprised, that there was nothing local, there was nothing close.”
Maras says she was referred to a burn unit more than two hours away from Charlotte.
“We ended up having to travel to Chapel Hill for his burn on his hand which is a third-degree burn,” says Maras.
It comes after a WCNC Charlotte Defenders investigation found a gap in treatment for severe burns in the Queen City.
Last year, 15-year-old Joshua Kellar had to be airlifted 80 miles away from Charlotte to Winston Salem, after a grease fire caused third-degree burns to 25% of his body.
“I passed out from the pain right after they strapped me into the helicopter,” Joshua told WCNC Charlotte.
Joshua’s father, David Kellar, says he could not believe there was no burn unit in Charlotte.
“It’s absolutely surprising to me,” David Kellar said.
The Defenders team found there are two burn centers in North Carolina and neither of them in Charlotte, the state’s largest city. When WCNC Charlotte checked two dozen other large cities, all but three had burn centers, according to the American Burn Association.
“It’s such a big city, and there's so many people, and you would think there would be a burn center here,” Maras said.
In order for a hospital to apply for a burn center, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has to determine there’s a need, which has not happened yet.
State officials evaluate the percentage of bed occupancy at existing burn centers and they also consider any written petitions from the public.
“If something was closer, I believe his hand would have healed better,” Maras said.
Now, Maras is calling for change on behalf of her child and others in the future.
“To think now we are in 2020 and there's not a facility here and no one has petitioned beforehand, I would definitely be on board to petition,” Maras said.
Maras says Lian will have to go for checkups every couple months and will likely need plastic surgery on his hand at some point.
Anyone interested in submitting a written petition to request a new burn center has until July 29. The NC Department of Health and Human Services considers those petitions for its 2021 State Medical Facilities.
Those written petitions can be submitted during a series of public hearings held by the state in 2020. Below is a list of dates and locations for the public hearings -- all hearings begin at 1:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 8 Greensboro Cone Health Administrative Services Building 721 Green Valley Road, Board Room
- Friday, July 10 Wilmington New Hanover Public Library 201 Chestnut Street, Harnett Room
- Tuesday, July 14 Concord Atrium Health Cabarrus 920 Church Street, Media Arts Classroom 1, 2 & 3
- Friday, July 17 Asheville Mission Health System - Health Education Center 1 Hospital Drive, Conference Room 5205-5207
- Tuesday, July 21 Greenville Pitt County Office Building 1717 West 5th Street, Eugene James Auditorium
- Wednesday, July 29 Raleigh Dorothea Dix Campus Brown Building, 801 Biggs Dr., Room 104
If you are unable to make it to one of these public hearings, you can mail written comments to the following address:
Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section
2704 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2704