After a kitchen burn, mom sees Akron Children’s in a new light

Allison, second from left, is sharing her story so people know the Akron Children’s Burn Institute treats adults as well as kids.

Allison Dennison of North Canton has taken her three kids to Akron Children’s for everything from primary and specialty visits to emergency care. She never expected that, one day, she’d also become an Akron Children’s patient.

One weekend in January, Allison made breakfast for her family. When she finished cooking bacon, she poured the hot grease into an empty can like she’d done countless times before. The can slipped, and the grease oozed all over her left hand.

“It must’ve been a different type of scream. My husband, Andy, ran up from the basement in about five seconds,” Allison recalled. “My hand instantly started to swell, so we went to Aultman Urgent Care. They took one look at my hand and directed us to Akron Children’s.”

Many people do not know that the Akron Children’s Burn Institute, supported by the Paul and Carol David Foundation, cares for adult burn patients as well as kids. The burn experts examined Allison’s hand, and the burn didn’t appear to be serious. “I’m not one to seek immediate medical care and usually take a wait-and-see approach,” she said. “But the burn team didn’t make me feel embarrassed for coming in right away, nor did I feel awkward about being an adult at a children’s hospital.”

A few days later, Allison called the Burn Institute because her pain was almost unbearable. She’s a high school Spanish teacher, and she didn’t want to miss school, so she made an appointment for the late afternoon.

“As they took the bandage off, I started sobbing,” Allison said. “I’ve done natural childbirth, but burns are a different type of pain. It was excruciating, and I almost passed out from the pain.”

The wound worsened, turning from a superficial first-degree burn into a second-degree burn. “Hot grease sticks and continues to burn the skin, so grease burns are typically deeper than something like a hot water burn,” said Devin Shields, Burn Institute physician assistant. “It can take 48-72 hours to reveal how deep a grease burn is.”

Touched by a stranger’s kindness

Allison needed a debridement procedure to remove the damaged skin and tissue. Surprised that she needed immediate treatment, she tried to reach Andy and then her sister. “The Burn Institute’s office coordinator, Tracy Jackson, saw me alone and upset in the exam room. She asked the nurse if she could sit with me,” Allison shared. “It was late in the day and likely time for Tracy to go home. But she held my hand and comforted me until my sister arrived.”

Tracy didn’t think twice about staying to help someone in need. “It gives me a renewed purpose that I am in a position where I can bring joy or a smile to a patient going through one of the hardest days of their life,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to be alone and anxious at the hospital, so I’m glad my little action helped Allison that day.” 

A new point of view

Allison’s sister, Kristin Selby, works for the Desidara marketing and communications firm. For decades, she has contributed to projects in support of the Akron Children’s Foundation and other departments. “As I hurried into the hospital to find Allison, the person who greeted me could tell I was a bit panicked,” Kristin said. “She quickly got me where I needed to go. I felt taken care of the minute I walked in the door, even though I wasn’t the patient.”

The debridement went well, and Kristin comforted Allison after the procedure. “The Burn Institute team was amazing. They gave Allison pain medicine when she needed it, cool cloths for her neck and a wheelchair for when we left the appointment,” Kristin recalled. “The staff went out of their way to make sure she was OK before we went home.”

It took about 11 days from the time of Allison’s injury until the burn wound closed. “Some burns can take longer to heal,” Devin explained. “Allison was fortunate not to have an open wound for an extended period of time.”

She still gets jolts of pain when she hits her hand a certain way, due to the sensitivity of the nerve endings. “I didn’t realize how dangerous a kitchen burn could be,” she said. “I’m glad it happened to me instead of one of my kids.”

Kristin (left) and Allison felt cared for as soon as they walked into Akron Children’s.

‘The year of stripping away’

In addition to Allison’s burn, she has faced painful shingles, hospitalization for a staph infection and some family concerns in 2026. “We’ve been through so much this year, but it’s also been beautiful,” she shared. “Like the removal of my burned skin, this has been ‘the year of stripping away.’ We’re looking with eyes of faith, as our pastor says, instead of looking at our circumstances. We’re focused on God, not putting our trust in things like bank accounts or health.

“Until my accident, I didn’t know Akron Children’s cared for adult burn patients,” she continued. “I’m thankful for their next-level care and compassion. They were a great blessing to me.”