An Australian mother who spent almost a decade recovering from horrific burns has just celebrated her first Mother’s Day with her bundle of joy.
An incident at a birthday party ten years ago turned Charlotte Brown’s life upside down.
A fire from a table ethanol burner burned more than 30 percent of her body.
Mrs Brown was left with such terrible burns that she spent more than five weeks in an induced coma at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Charlotte Brown and her husband Andrew welcomed their first child, Edith, in March
She spent her twenties learning to breathe, walk and talk again on her own.
Her husband Andrew also suffered serious burns in the fire.
The couple were both in hospital at the same time and supported each other through their darkest days.
They wanted to start a family, but were concerned about how Mrs. Brown’s scars would affect her pregnancy.
Fortunately, the couple welcomed their first child Edith in March.
“I was 22 when the accident happened and was placed in an induced coma for five-and-a-half weeks, with most of my body, apart from my legs, grafted with unburned skin,” Ms Brown said.
‘It has challenged every part of me physically and mentally, but I have become more resilient and capable than ever.
‘I’ve had an exciting career so far, I’m married to my wonderful husband, we have the best of friends and families, two lovely dogs and now our first child.’
A fire from an ethanol burner on a tabletop burned more than 30 percent of Ms. Brown’s body
The new mother said she was so grateful to all the doctors and nurses who guided her through her pregnancy and delivery.
“We just had to see how it went,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The heat of the Brisbane summer has really affected me, with so many scars from not being able to thermoregulate my body properly.
‘There was a small amount of scarring on my stomach which became very tight towards the end of my pregnancy.
“I had to keep a very close eye on everything.”
Ms Brown spent three months in hospital recovering from her accident, followed by two years of rehabilitation.
She has had a lot of physical therapy to regain the movement and elasticity of the skin.
The new mom said she “absolutely loved motherhood.”
“It’s a roller coaster, just like burn rehabilitation… You have good days and bad days, but in the end they all count,” she said.
“I am learning so much along the way and enjoying all the joyful moments with Edith and my family.”
The new mom said she ‘absolutely loved motherhood’
Now 32, Ms. Brown is a communications consultant and advocate for initiatives that educate and empower survivors so they can thrive and achieve the things they really want — “like starting a family.”
“In addition to the years of physical therapy, the psychological and social journey you undertake as a burn survivor is also very long,” she said.
‘Learning to love yourself again and draw strength from what you’ve been through is difficult, but absolutely possible – there is light at the end of the tunnel.
‘I want to show women with scars and/or burns that it is possible to live a happy and healthy life.’
Ms. Brown and her husband founded Burnslife, a non-profit organization of the RBWH Foundation, to provide psychosocial support to burn victims and their caregivers.
She is also co-chair of the Australia New Zealand Burns Association’s national Consumer Advisory Group.