In November of 2002, 11-year-old Yulce Daelangi’s life changed forever when the kerosene lamp she was lighting exploded in her face. There was no treatment for Yulce’s burns or medication to ease her excruciating pain on the remote island of Paca in Indonesia, where she lived. When the burns caused her skin to contract, she could no longer close her eyes. Eating and drinking became increasingly difficult.

Despite her worsening condition, Yulce remained hopeful. Miraculously, 15 months after her accident, a humanitarian worker from the International Friends of Compassion came to the island to provide basic healthcare services, met Yulce and became dedicated to finding her help.

The Children’s Burn Foundation worked with International Friends of Compassion, world-renowned surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman and an Indonesian church in Los Angeles to bring Yulce to Southern California.

Thanks to the goodwill and generosity of our donors, the Foundation was able to fund the hospital and medical expenses to ensure that Yulce received extensive state-of-the-art treatment from Dr. Grossman at the Sherman Oaks Hospital. In the year that Yulce and her mother spent in Los Angeles, she had more than a dozen surgeries, including two that freed her arms from her torso and several to reshape her eyes and mouth. As a part of her treatment, Yulce also had extensive skin grafts and numerous physical therapy sessions

In August of 2005, Yulce and her mother returned to Indonesia. The villagers in her town lined the streets to see her, and held a five hour celebration that night with ceremonial dancing and music. The humanitarian worker who accompanied her back to her village described her homecoming:

Yulce is home and last night we had her homecoming celebration. It was a day to remember… They had singing, music and dancing. It was an amazing day of joy and celebration. She giggled and laughed the whole party. The pastor of the church thanked everyone involved and said something very special - he said - “If I could find a word more beautiful than ‘Thank You’ I would use it.” He said they have nothing to give but their gratitude.

During her initial stay in Los Angeles, Yulce was diagnosed with scoliosis. She returned in May of last year to have surgery to correct the condition at Shriner’s Hospital. Now 16-years-old, Yulce is attending high school. This summer she will have additional remedial surgery. Despite her extraordinary difficulties, Yulce continues her journey of recovery with quiet courage.

If you would like to support Yulce’s full recovery, please click here.