Arial Harrison, from Michigan, miraculously survived an attack by a pitbull last year
A three-year-old girl miraculously survived a vicious attack by a pitbull, but Medicaid won’t pay for her prosthetic ears because they have deemed the operation ‘cosmetic’, according to her family.
Arial Harrison is still recovering from the injuries she suffered last April when a pitbull terrier mauled her while she was playing in her grandmother’s backyard in Cassopolis, Michigan.
The dog’s 21-year-old owner, a neighbor of the grandmother, was acquitted when the case went to trial, and the pitbull was euthanized.
The little girl spent months in the hospital and lost her ears and much of her scalp in the attack most. Most of her head is now a skin graft, according to a YouCaring page set up by her family.
The page also claims Arial constantly asks why her two sisters have ears and she doesn’t.
Arial’s mom Kendra Canen told WSBT that while the toddler’s insurance has paid for her surgeries in the past, they won’t pay for the ‘cosmetic’ surgery to get her new ears.
Fighter: Arial, pictured with her mother, is still recovering from the injuries she suffered when the dog attacked her as she was playing in her grandmother’s backyard
The little girl lost her ears in the attack and most of her head is now a skin graft
She says she wants Arial to get the operation before she begins school because she’s afraid other kids will bully her.
Now, Ariel’s community is working to raise the money needed for for the special operation, which has an estimated cost of nearly $12,000.
The Central Cass and Penn Township Fire Departments are organizing a pancake breakfast on May 5 to raise the funds necessary for the life-changing procedure.
Arial’s mom Kendra Canen said that while the toddler’s insurance has paid for her surgeries in the past, they won’t pay for the ‘cosmetic’ surgery to get her new ears
Arial’s family says she constantly asks why her two sisters have ears and she doesn’t
‘All of the areas in this community do a great job of coming together in a time of need. this just happened to be a time of need and we came together and hopefully it works out,’ Lieutenant Oliver Fiala told WSBT.
A local business, Cassopolis Dental, is also working to get Ariel new ears by donating the money from the sell of professional teeth whitening products to her family.
Kendra told local media that despite the tragedy she remains hopeful her daughter will be able to make the next step in her recovery and get the special procedure.
‘We’re grateful she’s a live. Moving forward, we live day-by-day so we have good days and we have bad days,’ she said.
Ariel’s community is working to raise the money needed for for the special operation, which has an estimated cost of nearly $12,000 (she’s pictured before the dog attack)