Fundraiser for 2-Year-Old Burn Victim

A benefit organ recital given by organist Mitch Boucher at the Damariscotta Baptist Church Sunday, July 27 marked the first fundraising event to assist burn victim Charlotte

Ramsdell, who is 2 years old.

As she continues to grow Charlotte will require a number of reconstructive surgeries until she reaches the age of 12, her mother Carol Ramsdell said.

“We have no idea yet how much this will cost,” Ramsdell said. “It will be thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars.”

Charlotte, her parents Carol and Jeffrey Ramsdell and step-siblings Peter and Rachel reside in Bristol.

On February 10 following her day at preschool Charlotte was picked up by her mother to head home for their shared ritual of having tea together.

Carol said the routine was to make a cup of tea for herself and then pour a small amount into another cup, adding water to cool and lessen the strength of

Charlotte’s “tea.”

After pouring her cup of hot water placed well away from the counter’s edge, Carol turned to replace the teapot and grab a teabag. When she turned back to the

counter the cup was gone.

Charlotte, still in her snow boots which gave her an additional two inches in height had managed to move the cup with her extended fingertips to the edge of the

counter where it fell hitting and chipping a front tooth and burning her from neck to waist.

Carol, a registered nurse and former EMT sprang to Charlotte’s aid immediately removing the child’s clothes and getting her into the kitchen sink and running cold

water.

Together Jeff and Carol began driving to Mid Coast Hospital to deliver Charlotte to the emergency room. By the time they reached Wiscasset Carol saw that Charlotte

was in shock with her head lolling and eyes rolled back.

They pulled into the Wiscasset Fire Department where Charlotte and her mother were transported to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center in

Portland.

“We were greeted by 11 medical professionals when we entered the emergency room,” Carol said.

The medical team consisted of surgeons, plastic surgeons, burn specialists and wound specialists, Carol said.

Charlotte had received a third-degree burn from shoulder to shoulder due to the polyester turtleneck she was wearing. Carol credits her quick removal of pants and

boots for preventing leg burns. Charlotte suffered burns to her face, neck, shoulders, back, chest and abdomen, in all 15 percent of her body.

“You have to know what kind of child Charlotte is,” Carol said. “She’s a very different soul, a very compassionate kid.”

While recovering from her initial surgeries at Barbara Bush, Charlotte politely refused the offer of stuffed toys from three high school volunteers by saying “I

don’t need one.”

Instead, Charlotte joined the high schoolers in distributing the toys to the other children in the hospital.

Several weeks ago Carol called Marilee Harris, the pastor of Damariscotta Baptist Church to discuss the possibility of Charlotte attending the weekly sessions of

Vacation Bible School held at the church.

Carol said it was important to inform Pastor Harris of Charlotte’s condition and to discuss a number of care issues, which the church was able to accommodate.

Harris said that ten minutes after she finished talking with Carol, she received a phone call from Mitch Boucher who offered to present an organ recital to benefit a

cause of the church’s own choosing.

“That’s how this all came about,” Harris said. “The two seemed to naturally go together.”

Boucher, a resident of Edgecomb and 2013 graduate of Lincoln Academy, is attending the University of Southern Maine majoring in music composition with an emphasis in

piano performance.

Boucher said he began studying the pipe organ with Sean Fleming in 2008. In addition to the concert to benefit Charlotte Ramsdell, he is presenting a benefit concert

at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Wiscasset later in August.

Jeff Ramsdell in addition to being a plumber also plays the bass and is planning another benefit concert for Charlotte’s medical costs. He plans to gather a number

of his musician friends and present a concert “later this summer.”

“Just look at her,” Jeff said as Charlotte scampered up and down the church aisle. “She has great energy and a wonderful spirit.”

Carol is concerned that Charlotte be afforded every opportunity to heal and fully and completely from her injuries by having the necessary reconstructive surgeries

performed while she is still young.

“If we do it now before she is four years old, she won’t remember much of it,” Carol said.

In an effort to raise the funds necessary to care for their daughter the Ramsdells have established a web page at http://www.gofundme.com/7fkcso.

For more information contact the Ramsdell family by email at paypal-minkbike@yahoo.com.