BURNS RECOVERED SUPPORT GROUP, INC. T h e s u r vi vo r Volume 18 Issue 2 2nd Quarter, 2013 BURNS RECOVERED SUPPORT GROUP AND ITS MANY MEMBERS WISH TO EXTEND OUR ASSISTANCE TO YOU, THE BURN SURVIVOR AND TO YOUR FAMILY. YOUR COURAGE AND SURVIVAL SKILLS INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF SUPPORT. BE A SUPERHERO... The time for Missouri Children s Burn Camp is just around the corner. The date for camp this year is Monday, Aug. 5 - Sunday, Aug. 11. As always, we anticipate MCBC to be filled with fun and exciting adventures. We anticipate there will 70-80 campers at camp this summer to enjoy every special minute. It takes counselors as well as campers for MCBC to exist. Many of our p r e v i o u s counselors keep returning to be with MCBC & share in this s p e c i a l e x p e r i e n c e. There are 10 counselors who will have been with MCBC over 5 years and 4 s p e c i a l counselors who have been with MCBC 10 or more years. And, we are fortunate to have many new counselors attend every summer. Without these wonderful, giving people who leave their families, friends and jobs to volunteer for the week, camp could not happen. Camp is for burn-injured children, age 6-17, who were hospitalized a minimum of 4 days because of their burns. There has even been 5-year old children at camp. Camp is a place where the opportunity to build self-esteem, make new friends and have fun is what it s all about. MCBC 2012 There are many activities swimming, fishing, sailing, archery, arts & crafts, water-skiing and other activities that fill the days and nights. There is never a dull moment. The nights are full, too, with campfires, clown night and everyone s favorite our last night dance. Everyone has a story campers, counselors and parents. The bottom line is you don t want to be left out. If you have been to c a m p, k e e p coming back. If you have never come, then make this your first year. We even have campers, too old to come as campers, who are n o w C I T s (Counselor in Training). We have counselors who used to be c a m p e r s! O f course, this is our 17th year of camp, so many of our campers are now old enough to be counselors. Application packets for camp were mailed May 16. If you plan on coming to camp, please return your application as soon as possible. If you want to come, it is not too late to apply to be a camper this year. Call 314-997-2757. And, if the headline didn t tell you, the theme for this year is Superheroes. You can be sure the counselors have all sorts of ideas to make this a special week. Come prepared to be your own favorite Superhero or, you can create your own new superhero.
P A G E 2 Volunteers Thank you Burns Recovered Support Group couldn t do the things we do if it were not for the wonderful people who give of themselves and volunteer their time to support us while we support others. You may wonder who these special people are and what do they do. BRSG is often talking about the great volunteer counselors at camp, but they are just some of the people who help BRSG achieve its goals. There are people who come to the office and stuff, put labels, and seal the thousands pieces of mail we send. They are people who help BRSG with fund raising events by getting items for silent auctions, making the beautiful and fun baskets for the auctions, and help work the day of a fund raising event. They are the people who are chaperones on the buses to camp. They are the people who help with our Holiday Giving program and come to the office and wrap the hundreds of gifts that are given away every year. They are the people who come and help at our Holiday Party, Bowling Party, and Family Picnic. They are the T H E S U R V I V O R people who volunteer their time to help with the Youth Fire Prevention Team, the BRSG juvenile fire-setter intervention program. They are the many people that others do not even think about, but without whom we would be lost. On Wednesday, April 18, Burns Recovered Support Group had our 1st Annual Volunteer Award Luncheon. BRSG wanted to make sure the many volunteers who give so much to us knew how much they are appreciated. The luncheon was wonderful. Everyone had a good time. And, BRSG was happy to honor a special volunteer for all that he does. Chris Houska was the Volunteer of the Year 2012. Chris gives tirelessly of himself. Chris Volunteer of the Year volunteers as a counselor at camp, he provides peer support to patients in the burn center. He sponsors his own fund raising event the Chocolate Delight. He helps deliver the gifts for the Holiday Giving program. He serves on the Board of Directors. He is the kind of guy who never says no when he is asked to help. BRSG can never thank Chris enough. ACHIEVE Your goals Steve Ellis is the proof that you never give up on what is important to you. Steve became a burn survivor in the fall of 2010 while he was attending college at Southern Illinois University. His home caught fire and he leapt through a window to get out. Steve has very strong goals. He has served in the military and protected our country in Afghanistan. He comes from an athletic family and played rugby before his accident. Steve wanted to be able to finish his degree, return to serving in the military and play rugby again. Steve s injuries were grave. The medical team expressed great concern as to how well his recovery would be and how much of his life he would be able to regain. Well, there is an old expression - You can t keep a good man down! And, Steve exemplifies these words. Steve trained with dogged determination. As an athlete he knew what it was to train hard. He never gave up. His father brought him to support group meetings 1st in a wheelchair, then with a cane and special boots on his feet to help him walk. Month after month, his friends and extended family at the support group could see him regaining his strength. And, then there was the incredible visit when he walked into the meeting with no canes -- standing tall and strong. Steve has finished his Bachelor s degree in Psychology and is now working towards his Master s. In 2012 Steve went back to coaching rugby and took his team on to win a state title. But, this achievement was not good enough. Now, Steve is playing again and on an April day his team was playing here in St. Louis. Several of his friends were able to attend. Steve says, I believe that my burn scars will actually aid me in understanding the trauma experienced by individuals when I am in a counseling setting. A lot of my scars have an interesting story of a tattoo being moved from one spot to several spots over a lot of my body. Steve s original tattoo is now in 18 places!
P A G E 3 BRSG ANGEL This is one time that selecting the BRSG Angel seemed impossible. BRSG is fortunate to have many volunteers give of their time, energy, and talent. But, it became clear that this time, it seemed important to acknowledge 32 courageous people who chose to open their hearts and souls with the world. The idea for Beauty Is came in to being in June 2012. Originally it was going to be nothing more than a 3-ring binder of 10-15 pictures of burn survivors to be used in peer support with patients and their loved ones, to show them that there will be life at the end of what seems to be a never ending battle of doctors appointments, physical therapy, dressing changes, and pain. A talented photographer was contacted and asked if he would be willing to donate his time to take the pictures. Amazingly he said yes. The first pictures were taken in July. The number of participants kept growing. It went from 10-15 to 20-25. Then it went to 30 and when all was said and done there were pictures taken of 32 people. The survivors/models all knew they would have the final say on the picture that was used and they all knew they could chose to back out if they decided they didn t want to be part of the finished project. There were several models that were very unsure if they wanted to be part of the project when they were first approached to be part of Beauty Is But, after a while they changed their minds. When all the pictures were finished, one model said they were not sure if they wanted their picture to be in the book. After several days of thought, the person changed their mind and they have now said they are so happy they did change their mind. As part of the process, each survivor/ model received a fact sheet with several questions. Their answers became an integral part of the project. Each person s story was written using as much of their own words as possible. In the end, every picture has the name of the survivor/model, their age at the time of burn, their age in T H E S U R V I V O R the picture and a brief story about the cause of their injury and where they are now in their lives. The 32 BRSG Angels are giving to so many people. They are showing everyone fortunate enough to see the book what true beauty, dignity, and strength is. The youngest person in the book is 6 and the eldest is 63. Their burns were as recent as 6 months prior to the picture being taken and as long as 50+ years after the burn. Each person is different. Each person has their own story. But, each person is a survivor. You can see in their eyes and their smiles that not only have they recovered, but that they are sexy, strong, have achieved, and succeeded. Beauty Is has been available for purchase since the first week of April. In this short time since publication, Beauty Is is in Israel and Australia. It is in burn centers in North Carolina, Maryland, Missouri, Kansas, Michigan, and Ohio. Doctors, nurses, and physical therapists have started sharing it with others. Beauty Is can be purchased by calling the Burns Recovered Support Group office and the book can be paid for by credit card over the phone. You can go to the BRSG web site, www.brsg.org and purchase the book online via PayPal. You can mail in your check to the office. The book will be mailed to you with no additional charge for handling and shipping. Or, you can visit the BRSG office and get your copy of Beauty Is You will be moved. You will be challenged. You will be inspired. As people not directly involved with BRSG have seen Beauty Is, they ask if we know all the survivor/ models. It is with great pride that BRSG is able to say, Yes! Every person pictured in this book has a relationship with BRSG. The have attended our support group meetings. They have been campers and/or counselors at Missouri Children s Burn Camp. Burns Recovered Support Group is fortunate to be able to call everyone of these 32 people friend and more importantly acknowledge them as ANGELS.
V O L U M E 1 8 I S S U E 2 LET EVERYONE KNOW P A G E 4 charge. Do you have 2 cars? You can buy 2 sets and then put one of each cover on each car! You can buy a set for a family member, a friend, a counselor, a camper, a burn survivor you get the idea. They are a great birthday present or an I thinking about you present. These license plate covers are a fun, inexpensive way to show your support of Burns Recovered Support Group and to let everyone else see what is important to you. Burns Recovered Support Group is excited to announce the arrival of our license plate covers. They are easy to purchase call the office, stop by the office, go to our web site. You can purchase a set of 2 for $10. You can purchase a set of either Burns Recovered Support Group or Missouri Children s Burn Camp. If you can t make up your mind, you can purchase 1 of each for your set of 2 at no extra MEAT RAFFLE There is still time, but not much, to participate in this fantastic fund raising event. Kevin Groh was burn injured 13 years ago. He has moved on with his life and is busy with work and his favorite activity soft ball! Kevin is the coach of Sparky s Softball Team. Kevin called BRSG last year and asked if he could donate the majority of the funds raised at this event to us. Of course, we said, yes! In 2012, Kevin donated over $5000 to Burns Recovered Support Group, Kevin is at a again. Amazingly, he has made it even better. Not only will the winner win 100 steaks from Kenrick s Meat Market, but the winner will also win a Primo Barbecue Grill. Tickets are still available. You can contact Burns Recovered Support Group, Kenrick s Meat Market or Kevin. You are a winner no matter. Take the stub of your ticket to Kenrick s, spend $40 and receive a $5 discount. Gee, it makes your $10 ticket cost only $5. You can t lose, but time to buy tickets is running out! The drawing is June 23.
P A G E 5 THE SURVIVOR BOWLING St. Louis & KANSAS city
BURNS RECOVERED SUPPORT GROUP, INC. 11710 Administration Dr., Suite 2B St. Louis, MO 63146 Phone: 314-997-2757 www.brsg.org NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID CHESTERFIELD, MO 63017 PERMIT NO. 99 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED A Problem Shared Is Only Half A Problem GARY S GOINGs on Burns Recovered Support Group is busy as usual. Without financial support, BRSG is not able to provide all the services that we are able to offer to the community. Fund raising is an important part of what goes on. There was the 10th Annual Chocolate Delight in April. In June, BRSG is fortunate to have an event that Neiman Marcus is hosting as a fund raiser to support Missouri Children s Burn Camp. And, on June 23 I the Meat Raffle that is talked about in this issue of The Survivor. BRSG is very proud to have published Beauty Is Yes, we hope to make money from the sales of it and the license plate covers, but most important is the help we hope Beauty Is will be able to provide to burn survivors and their loved ones. Linda and I made our annual trip to the American Burn Association in April. We attended many meetings ranging on topics from burn camps, burn prevention programs, psychosocial discussions, and new construction procedures. While there we had the opportunity to show Beauty Is to many people and the response was excellent. People started approaching us and asking us about the book and wanting to see it. The Youth Fire Prevention Team continues to meet. BRSG had been happy to have a teenager work with me for 4 years, but he finally became a man and realized that he needed to move on. His ability to reach out as a teen talking to other teens had disappeared as he was no longer a teen. Well, I am happy to say that I have a new teen-ager who has started attending these meetings with me. He hasn t been to many, but I am excited to report that he is quickly adjusting to this new role as a mentor and is doing a good job. BRSG is happy to be hosting our Holiday Party, Bowling Party & Spring Family Picnic in both St. Louis and Kansas City now. Bring your family to one of these events.