Leslie Bangamba with her husband and children.
© MADISON JAMIE PHOTOGRAPHY
Amélie in the hospital after swallowing a lithium battery.
© LESLIE BANGAMBA
A fully recovered Amélie.
© MADISON JAMIE PHOTOGRAPHY
Safety first
In April 2020, Leslie Bangamba was unloading the dishwasher when her 18-month-old daughter, Amélie, collapsed. “Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and blood started coming out her nose. I called 911,” she says.
What followed were the most heart-wrenching days of Bangamba’s life. Doctors discovered Amélie had accidentally ingested a lithium battery, which caused a stroke and ruptured her esophagus, trachea, aorta and left carotid artery. She needed open-heart surgery and over 4 quarts’ worth of blood transfusions. “One battery caused this—and batteries operate so many devices in our lives,” Bangamba says.
Thankfully, Amélie recovered. Bangamba has since become a child safety advocate and wants parents (of children and/or pets!) to know the potential dangers of household items. Her recommendation? “Do a sweep of your home and pay close attention to the everyday gadgets you use.”—Naomi Hansen
MEMBER INFO
Who Leslie Bangamba
Hometown Red Deer, Alberta
Occupation Child safety advocate and digital family and lifestyle content creator
Website lesliebangamba.com
Most rewarding part of job “I know I’m making a difference in the lives of other families. By sharing my story, I’ve been able to connect with people from so many walks of life—and if you care about children, this story applies to you.”—Leslie Bangamba
