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Crash Girl Sophie to leave hospital
Date:1/06/04

A three-year-old girl seriously injured when a car ploughed into her childcare centre will finally leave hospital today more than six months after the tragedy.

But Sophie Delezio will have to visit hospital several times a week and will need further rounds of surgery over coming years, as well as intensive physiotherapy.

Sophie and her toddler playmate Molly Wood suffered horrendous burns on December 15 last year when they were trapped underneath a car which crashed into the Roundhouse Childcare Centre at Fairlight, on Sydney's northern beaches.

Molly spent almost two months in intensive care, enduring 18 rounds of surgery for burns to about 40 per cent of her body before she was released from hospital in early March.

Sophie lost both feet, some fingers and suffered third degree burns to 85 per cent of her body.

Ground-breaking medical technology has been credited with saving her life, but her surgeon Dr Peter Hayward said the courageous little girl still had a long way to go.

"Sophie will continue to visit the hospital several times a week, and will need many more operations in coming years," Dr Hayward said.

"She will also need an ongoing program of physiotherapy to prevent scar formation and will be seen regularly for follow-up as she grows."

Her parents, Ron Delezio and Carolyn Martin, are delighted Sophie is coming home and have paid tribute to the medical staff who have helped her for so many months.

"We are so glad to finally be taking Sophie home," they said.

When asked what she was most looking forward to after leaving hospital, she replied: "Lying on the grass with Mummy and Daddy, looking at the stars and the moon and eating lollies."

Her parents thanked everyone for the gifts, drawings and cards they had received over the past few months.

"Most of all we would like to thank everyone for including Sophie in their prayers. It was comforting for us to know that Sophie was in everyone's thoughts."

Sophie will leave the Children's Hospital at Westmead at 11am (AEST) today.

Copyright AAP 2004

http://www.seven.com.au/news/topstories/92527


For a video of the little girl and more information on the synthetic/cultured skin used click the title 7news video: Sophie makes miraculous recovery in the link below

http://www.seven.com.au/news/results/burns%20toddler/0