Juan Henning – “I’ll be there!!”

The jamboree promises to be hugely exciting, kicking off with an opening ceremony at Constitution Hill. The campers will then be taken to Magaliesberg where they will spend the next 5 days. We are hoping that the next Jamboree will take place in Canada in two years time.

Young people aged 13 to 17 have been invited to participate in this amazing event, along with chaperones from all attending countries. The programme will include confidence building events, local tours, team activities and, of course, the building of lasting friendships. The goals of the camp include building the self esteem of young people who have experienced a serious burn trauma, sharing experiences and cultures, and letting these young burn survivors know –they are not alone. ke exarra ke - 'diverse people unite'...Steve Williams

Our Cape Town Office, under the guidance of Gert and Mary Eksteen, has been hard at work once more, and continues to make a difference in the various Cape communities. Gert and Mary, together with their enthusiastic volunteer , Debbie, have achieved many victories, some of which will be shared with you in the following pages. We thank them for their continued enthusiasm and support, and wish them and their wider team all the best. Well done, Guys!

Gert reports:
(Through efforts of our office) the Management of the
Nkazimlo primary school has publicly declared the school as 'Burn Survivor friendly' and we asked the Deputy Principal Mr. Fesi to accompany Debbie our local volunteer and myself to represent his school on Tuesday evening, our fifth Chat Show on Radio Zebonele.  (It was so successful that) Mr. Fesi has now made application to the Education Metropole department to make class rooms available for B/F meetings, volunteer training and for all Burn Survivors in Khayelitsha to meet, to learn to share experiences.

What a breakthrough, Guys!

Rabie Property Development, one of the largest property developers in South Africa, kindly donated two sets of Sewing/Overlocker machines to WBF (SA) for the purpose of sewing pressure garments for Burn Survivors at our Camp programmes.

One set of Machines was donated to WBF Exco JHB, for their use at Camps, and the Western Cape Committee felt that we should donate the second set to the Tygerberg Hospital Burns unit in appreciation of their continued support and encouragement at our previous Burn Survivor Camps, and support groups, and the hospital could make immediate use of them. It is generally agreed that the Burn Foundation may call on TBH burns unit for the use of these sewing machines when needed at our Camp outings in the Western Cape, and that TBH will supply the material for the pressure garments when required.

Our sincere thanks to Rogini for arranging the event. She is the Occupational Therapist at Tygerberg Hospital Burns unit and has attended most WBF Camps as resident O. T. WBFSA would like to sincerely thank Rabie Property Development for the donation of these machines, which will be put to such good use!

On her way to visit a nearby primary School, where she planned to encourage and support young Burn Survivors, she was approached by a neighbor who told her of a nine-month-old Baby who was seriously burned by boiling water.

She immediately decided to retrace her steps and make a urgent home visit with the idea to be of assistance to the family and to counsel the mother in her time of need.

Upon arrival at the family’s home, she became very concerned, as the mother of the child was her friend and counselor when she herself was in Hospital after experiencing burn injuries by fire two years before. The report that I received over the phone was such that I deemed it necessary to travel the distance of 40 km. immediately on arrival at the premises; I was met with much sorrow and tears. No one really knew what to do!

Apparently the accident had happened about two months earlier. The child had been admitted to the Burns Unit at Red Cross Children’s hospital for treatment and discharged two weeks prior to our visit.

On further investigation I realised that the home environment was not conducive to the healing of the wounds, which were festering. I immediately contacted Rogini Pillay our Occupational Therapist at Tygerberg Hospital Burns Unit, and under her guidance wrote a note to the Dr. in charge at Red Cross Children’s Hospital Burns Unit. I gave the mother the note, taxi fee, and sent her to the Hospital.

Reports, since received indicate that the Doctor on duty at the Burns Unit was very impressed with the volunteer service offered Burn Foundation. After treating the wounds the child was booked in for further Surgery. Volunteer Debbie has been making regular home visits since and the child whom we have nick named Prince, is well on his way to recovery.

Blessing Gert Eksteen
Email: marimay@mweb.co.za

We were able to hire a Tax to transport us to the day clinic for emergency treatment. From there we were taken to Red Cross Children’s Hospital by Ambulance.

The Doctor and Staff on duty were very good to us. They attended to my son immediately, and afterwards he was put in a ward with some other Burn Survivor children; the hospital gave me a room with food.

I was allowed to stay with my son for over two weeks. We were discharged, but had to go back every few days for medication and dressings.

After a few days at home, my son was crying so much, he did not sleep well, and I did not know what to do. One morning, my old friend, Debbie, came to visit me, because she had heard that my son was not doing to well. Debbie talked to me, and gave me more courage. She was holding my son, who was crying again. She phoned someone and later a stranger, Mr. Gert came to visit us. He told me he was from Burn Foundation. He spoke to us some kind words, he looked at my son, and gave him a new name.

Mr. Gert said, “One day he will be a handsome Prince”, Then he phoned somebody at the hospital, I think, and gave me a letter to the Doctor at the Red cross Hospital. He also gave me some money for the Taxi,. The next day the Dr. read the letter from Mr. Gert, and put it in a folder. The Dr. treated the burn wounds and made reservation for my son to go to surgery. My son will have skin grafts on his body on the 28th July and I will be there by the side of my little Prince.

I want to say thank you very much Burn Foundation for the wonderfull volunteersthat you have to help us. Yes, one day I will be proud of my handsome young prince.

God bless you all, also the Doctors and Staff at Red Cross Children’s hospital

Thandiwe Putuma
Phone: 072 528 0721.

Keep up the great work, Western Cape. We salute you!!!

Join us every Tuesday Evening in our moderated Chat Room… 8pm-10pm  Sydney Time

For those familiar with Mirc  on the StarChat Network the channel is  “aussieburnsurvivors”

For those not familiar you can enter the room by following the instruction found here:

Burn Foundation of Australia provides moderated chats as an online meeting-place where burn survivors, family and friends come for peer support, camaraderie, and socializing.  Our vision for these chats is to provide a safe place to discuss issues related to living with a burn injury and provide peer support by the sharing of similar experiences. The chats are not meant to take the place of professional counseling or therapy, but rather meant to provide direction, support and healing to help you go on with your life and start...