Sophie Delezio's big news
She touched the hearts of many around the country due to her bravery in the wake of a horrific car accident in 2003, and now, Sophie Delezio is on the road to turning her lifelong dream of moving to London into a reality.
The burns victim completed high school last year, and to further her education, she applied for entrance to study sociology and international relations at five of England’s top-ranking universities – four of them in London.
The move won’t be easy for the teenager, as the 17-year-old will find herself needing to adapt to new surroundings and a much different environment from her family home in Sydney’s North Shore.
“Yes, a part of me is a little nervous about moving away,” Sophie told Women’s Weekly.
“I will miss my family and my friends but at the same time there is a sense of anticipation that is almost overwhelming. It’s as though I am finally getting an opportunity to spread my wings and sample everything that the world has to offer – but on my terms and in my own way. It’s an adventure.”
But despite the excitement and intrigue, there is an element of risk involved. Ever since the horrifying incident, this will be Sophie’s first time attempting her intricate medical regime herself.
Though she remains optimistic, as she feels that she’s ready to venture out and experience something new.
Sophie’s medical needs are extensive. Each day she needs to change the dressings on a number of wounds. And with grafted skin, there is also a danger of infection. And that’s not even the hardest part, with the most critical areas being just below her knee joints where her legs fit into prosthetic limbs.
Due to the prosthetics being a tight fit, there is a risk of her skin tearing.
“I know the routine backwards and forwards,” says Sophie. “I know where every single piece of dressing is in my cupboard, how to apply and when. The only thing I sometimes can’t do is wind a bandage around a part of my leg if it’s at an off angle. Then I might need a little help, but otherwise I am self-sufficient.”
Her father Ron, 65, has full faith in his daughter’s abilities.
“Sophie is a very determined young woman,” he said.
“She has had to be determined and strong all her life. After everything that she has endured in the past 15 years, her just being alive is a testament to how determined she really is. She has had a plan to live overseas for at least a couple of years and she's been quietly working toward that goal the entire time.
"Her injuries are such that she needs constant treatment from a team of surgical and burns-care specialists. In the past 15 years, she's probably had more than 100 operations to adjust the skin grafts that cover her body. That’s an incredible amount of surgery for anyone to have, let alone a teenager who is trying to live life the best she can. Yet we've let her assume the responsibility for most of the regime herself in recent years. I can't tell you how proud I am of her. She's incredible."
Scroll through the gallery above to see Sophie all grown up!