Former Patient's Family Steps Up to Co-Chair 2024 Boston Haunted Walk

Alexandra was just a year and a half old when she received burn treatment at Shriners Children’s Boston, an experience that impacted her entire family.

She has no memory of grabbing a bowl of hot soup from the kitchen counter, but her mom, Suzanne, remembers the day vividly. Ever since that day, their gratitude for the care Alexandra received for her scald injury has motivated them to give back. This year, Alexandra and Suzanne are excited to deepen their support by serving as co-chairs of the fifth annual Boston Haunted Walk.

Suzanne describes Alexandra as a very easygoing child who never pushed boundaries, like climbing out of her crib or grabbing for objects out of reach. As she prepared lunch for Alexandra and her older brother on a winter day in 2001, she never imagined her young daughter would reach for the bowl on the edge of the counter. Within seconds, a small amount of hot soup splashed on Alexandra’s face, and as Suzanne remembers, “I was in shock. I just froze.” A friend helped her call 911 and they were taken to the emergency room of their local hospital. A family friend had been a nurse at Shriners Children’s Boston, and Suzanne wanted to get Alexandra there as soon as possible because she knew they could help.

When they finally arrived at Shriners Children’s Boston via ambulance, the burn care team worked swiftly to evaluate the extent of Alexandra’s injury. They discovered the soup had also splashed onto her arm, saturating her clothing just enough to scald the skin. This additional injury was not detected in Alexandra’s earlier emergency room examination. Suzanne was relieved when they were admitted to Shriners Children’s Boston for an overnight stay. “As hard as it was, I just felt so grateful that we were in their hands,” she said.

Suzanne used a stroller in the inpatient unit to walk with Alexandra, helping to calm her and pass the time. “As we walked around, I saw other patients with injuries that were much worse and I felt so lucky,” she said. “It was a really eye-opening experience, and I knew at that time I wanted to give back.”