Siblings burned in petrol attack embark on next stage of surgery

THE two Limerick siblings who received horrific burns in a petrol bomb attack on the car they were sitting in five years ago will embark on the next stage of their excruciating surgical schedule next Tuesday.

Millie, 10, and Gavin Murray, eight, have undergone so many operations at Crumlin Children’s Hospital since the attack in September 2006, that their mum, Sheila, says she has lost count.

Three youths were involved in the attack near their home in Moyross because she refused to give one of them a lift to Limerick District Court.

The two children were in the car when it was engulfed in flames. Their younger brother, Dylan, now five, was snatched from the blaze unhurt.

Such was the extent of Gavin’s injuries that his right ear effectively melted away as he was pulled from the inferno. He suffered burns to 25% of his body, mostly to his face, head, back and hands.

Millie suffered 30% burns to her body, mostly to her face, right arm and lower back.

Surgeons have reconstructed much of her burned areas with skin grafts taken from her upper back and legs.

Sheila Murray said yesterday Millie and Gavin had been given a break from their ongoing treatment for a number of months, and are due back at Crumlin on Tuesday.

“The next stage will be a huge step for Gavin as it is hoped that he can have hair implants to the bare parts of his head. I think next Tuesday the doctors will give us an idea when this stage of the surgery can start again with Gavin. If they can get back hair to the side of his head, it would be a great help as it would allow the hair to cover the area where he has lost his ear.”

Sheila said she has lost count of the number of operations the children have undergone to date.

“There is a lot more to be done to try and cover all the scars and burns. It will be with them for the rest of their lives. They are after being through hell the two of them. The hospital doctors and nurses and everybody at Crumlin have been brilliant,” she said.

Sheila said doctors have told her they do not wish to try and reconstruct Gavin’s ear until he is older.

“When he is older he may be able to make a decision on that. After what he’s been through I don’t want to put him through that major surgery now,” she said.

Sheila said little Millie has a special calendar in her bedroom.

“She has the calendar to mark in all the dates in the future in which she will be going back to the hospital. The first date she has marked off is Tuesday the 15th. They are a bit nervous about going back as they don’t know what to expect. But I think we will be told when they plan to start on Gavin’s hair implants. This will mean going back once a week for six weeks.”

Millie and Gavin now attend the boys and girls primary schools in Caherdavin, where their mum said they are “getting on great”.