Ottawa firefighters hosting fundraiser to help buy equipment for CHEO's burn unit

Cody McNeil on Nov. 18, 2024. (Kimberley Fowler/CTV News Ottawa)

Eight-year-old Cody McNeil loves gaming and uploading videos from his bedroom to his YouTube page 'Cody's Universe'. 

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Seven years ago, his bedroom looked drastically different, after a fire that started from a humidifier spread to his crib and other parts of his room.

"I often refer to it as waking up to a nightmare," said Chris McNeil, Cody's father.

"I really had to process (what happened) for a few days before the full weight of it was apparent."

The McNeil's escaped their Kanata home minutes before firefighters arrived but not before then 19-month-old Cody suffered third-degree burns and was transported to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).

Cody was put into a coma for three weeks. CHEO's doctors explained the best course of action to Cody's parents every step of the way.

"They ended up grafting the skin from the very top of his head over his forehead and the tip of his nose… and the skin from his thigh onto his left hand and the pinky and ring finger," said McNeil. "That initial graph did most of the work and that's where we stand today. He looks fantastic."

Cody has had multiple follow up surgeries, and still receives treatment at CHEO.

"My plastic surgeon is amazing. When I have a surgery, it usually takes around like three hours or more, but to me it fees like one second," said Cody.

"They take off skin from another part of your body that's not really harmed, and they put it on something that is harmed."

CHEO is now adding even more tools to help kids like Cody.

For more than 30 years, the Ottawa Professional Fire Fighter Association (OPFFA) have supported the children's hospital. This year, it's with a fundraiser called "Burning Down the House for CHEO" on Nov. 21.

"They need this specialized laser," said Scott Williams, OPFFA Chair of Charities.

"The laser helps reduce wounds, helps bring the burn up and out, helps with the physical healing, cuts down healing time, and also helps with the mental health aspect of it.”

A Pulsed Dye Laser used in combination with a Fractional CO2 Laser will enhance CHEO's ability treat the over 500 kids the hospital sees a year in the burn unit. The OPFFA is pitching in help buy these state-of-the-art lasers.

"Anything to help kids especially in situations like this that they didn't ask for have no control over, if it helps with their physical appearance their mental health, their self-confidence whatever it may be -- absolutely yeah I'm all for it," said McNeil.

"Every firefighter has been in a house fire where it's just a little too hot. You feel it. It hurts," said Williams.

"Knowing that these kids are suffering, that we can actually help, it makes the world a difference. it's very important to us."