Neliswe was born on March 5th 1988. She was burned when she was two months old. A blanket took fire from a candle, which stood next to the bed. She was treated at Edendale hospital for 8 months. Nelisiwe was supposed to receive plastic surgery at the age of 8 years, which never happened. In 2002 she was a grade 7 learner at Bumbisizwe School in Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal, and will start at Philadelphia High School in Shoshanguve in January 2003.
Due to her burns, scars and skin transplants, she has deformities of both hands and face.
The cartilage of her nose is absent. Skin contractures around her mouth and cheeks cause an open mouth and very prominent lips, with protruding front teeth. The top part of her right ear was lost in the accident. She doesn’t have hair on the right side of her head. Due to scar tissue on her forehead and around her eyes, she doesn’t have eyebrows and although she can close her eyes, the right eye does not appear the same as the left eye.
Her right hand is more affected than the left hand. The right little finger is absent and her wrist is pulled into ulna deviation by a contracture on the extensor part of the forearm. Actively she doesn’t have full supination of the forearm. The remaining four fingers leave her with PIP joint of the 4th finger, hyperextension of the PIP of the 3rd finger and thumb deformity with no movement of the IP joint. The left has a very short thumb with a thumb deformity with a dislocating carpo- meta- carpal joint. A contracture prevents a functional web space. The index finger has a swanneck deformity, and the middle finger doesn’t have PIP flexion with the dislocation of the distal phlanagy. Her wrist doesn’t have full extension.
Children of Fire will pursue surgical and occupational therapy improvements for Neliswe during 2003.