Picture Perfect Care

A young girl needed help for severe burns suffered years ago. Two nurses are part of a team offering her free care.

Laugh it off let it go and

When you wake up it will seem

So yesterday, so yesterday

Haven’t you heard that I’m gonna be okay

So Yesterday starts playing on the CD player. It’s a song by Hilary Duff—9-year-old Jenica Cano’s favorite pop star. Pat Pavelco, R.N., and Colleen Kuebler, R.N., have the moves down pat as they sing with Jenica and dance around her hospital room. It’s part of their ritual before the painful reality of a bandage (dressing) change.

At just 18 months old, Jenica suffered severe burns when a fire ravaged her family’s home in the Philippines. Placed in an orphanage, she received virtually no burn care for six years. Her burns healed into disfiguring scars on her abdomen, chest and face. She also suffered permanent tightening of the skin (called “contractures”) in her legs, groin and left elbow. They resulted in abnormal bone growth, particularly her feet, leaving her unable to walk.

“It’s difficult to imagine what she’s been through,” Pavelco says. “But when we first met her and saw her beautiful smile, we knew we were fortunate to help.”

Jenica’s journey began when a medical missions organization brought her to the U.S. They arranged for her to receive surgery in Boston. But when Jenica developed an infection after surgery, her foster parents, Kathy and Tom McGovern of Emmaus, brought her to Lehigh Valley Hospital. Pediatrician Scott Brenner, M.D., worked with administrators to provide Jenica’s free care here, where burn surgeon Sigrid Blome-Eberwein, M.D., performed surgery to straighten Jenica’s legs and arm, and fix her lip.

Kuebler and Pavelco then started caring for Jenica’s wounds. “I made it a point to meet the family before Jenica’s first surgery at the hospital, so I could build a relationship with her from the beginning,” Kuebler says.

As the burn center’s “traveling” wound care team, the two nurses see all burn patients in the hospital, and take particular pride in caring for children. “Bandaging scars as severe as Jenica’s can be very painful,” Pavelco says. “So for Jenica, we listen to music, blow bubbles and read books with her to put her at ease.”

“Before the first dressing change, Jenica cried,” Jenica’s mom says. “Now, when she sees Pat or Colleen come into her room, she gives them a big smile and gets this twinkle in her eye.”

“I like them,” Jenica says shyly.

Jenica will need at least four more surgeries. Still, she’s hopeful someday, when her legs are completely straight, she’ll be able to take her first steps and give Pavelco and Kuebler hugs.

On this day, Jenica is just happy being with her two newfound friends. As her dressing change nears the end, her eyes light up again. She knows what’s coming: a $1 bill. Pavelco hands it over with a smile on her face. Jenica’s smiling, too. Her next stop: The gift shop to buy a bag of M&Ms.

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