The Shriner's Hospital for Children in Cincinnati Ohio has accepted another pit bull mauling victim. On Wednesday Lilly Goodson of Spaulding County Georgia, age five, was mauled by the family pit. It took a bullet from a police officer's gun to end the attack on Lilly, and on her grandmother who was trying to protect her. Shriner member Bill Hatchett said "It's just the most heart-wrenching thing you've ever seen in your life. The little girl, she's beat up from her head to her toes, and she's fighting for her life right now." "She is going to need several surgeries. There is no way without the help of Shriner's Hospital that the family could afford to do that." The Shriner's Hospital specializes in reconstructive surgery. Lilly has severe injuries to her face and body and lost an ear in the attack. She will require many surgeries. The transfer to Cincinnati will take place as soon as Lilly is stable enough to travel. Lilly will be the third pit bull victim treated at this hospital.
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Two year old George Sumrall of Sumter South Carolina is being treated at Cincinnati Shriner's Hospital for his pit bull mauling injuries. George lost both ears and his scalp in the attack.
Eleven year old Brandon Williams of Cocke County Tennessee is being treated at Shriner's Hospital Cincinnati. Brandon lost both ears and had severe damage to his right arm in the attack.
Nine year old Malik Harvey is being treated at a California Shriner's Hospital for Children for his pit bull inflicted injuries.
The Shriner's Hospital in Cincinnati is designated by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons as a Verified Burn Center. Many victims of pit bull maulings require treatment in burn centers because their skin is simply gone, just like skin that is burned away. These areas need protection from infection, specialized treatments, and skin grafts. Burn Centers treat the patient from acute injury through reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation.
Shriners's Hospitals will treat a child until that child reaches the age of eighteen with no charge to the family of the child. Shriners is an outstanding organization and deserves recognition for their work! For more information on Shriners Hospitals click here.
1/27/2013 Update. Garrett Carrier of Middleburg Kentucky will have surgery at Cincinnati Shriner's Hospital for Children.
Garrett almost lost his arm to a pit bull attack last July. Garrett's mother describes the surgery. "“They’re going to take muscle from his back and build him a new armpit, and they’re hoping there’s enough left over to build him a new deltoid, too,” his mother explains. “They’re also going to take some nerves from his ankle to put in his arm, and give him Botox injections to firm up the muscle.”
Per the Central Kentucky News "If Garrett’s upcoming surgery is successful, doctors believe the range of motion of his left arm will increase dramatically, though he’ll probably never be able to raise it above his shoulder. And it is hoped, with continued therapy, that he will regain 100 percent of the function of his left hand, Sims said.
While those outcomes would be something to cheer about, the damage done by the dog bites will never be repaired enough to allow him to resume playing baseball, basketball, football and other activities that used to be his favorite things. It’s something he’s learning to accept."
Pit bull attacks change lives, it is a disgrace that children continue to suffer maulings like Garrett's. The pit bull that mauled Garrett has been put down and the owners of that dog have moved away. These dog owners have walked away from the suffering they created.
