Burn Support Group Charitable Trust, Inc.
Remember the ‘metre heater’ run - Keep all clothes, furniture and curtains at least a metre away from heaters.
December 2009 Newsletter
JANUARY 2010
December 2009
Nearly the end of another year and we have so much information to share! I don’t know if it’s just us but the year seems to have flown by it has been so busy. If your year has been the same we think this newsletter is the perfect excuse for you to have a little break while you enjoy catching up on our latest news...
AGM
Our AGM was held on the 12th of August. This year's AGM resulted in quite a few changes to our board. It was with regret that we farewelled our Vice-President Helen Polley (who had been standing in as President) and board member Jeff Kiddell. We would like to acknowledge and thank them for their many years of hard work and commitment to Burn Support Group Charitable Trust, Inc.
This year George Stephens was elected as our president. He is a Senior Fire Risk Management Officer for the New Zealand Fire Service in the Auckland region. Jan Steele was elected as our Vice President. She has been on our board for many years and is a foundation staff member in the National Burn Centre. Jan has worked with burns patients for many years. Owen Williams was re-elected in his role as Treasurer and Trustee. He is a burn survivor and company accountant. Margaret Foster, Rosemary Barling and Hayden Goldsack were all re-elected as board members and are joined by new board members Brian Butt, Mark Wiggins and Steve Lakin.
New Secretary/Administrator
Mid-August saw the appointment of Burn Support Group’s new Secretary/Administrator, Carrie Trow. She joins Nathalie Johnson as one of Burn Support Group's two part-time staff members. With a background in office administration and customer service, Carrie has settled into her role nicely. Carrie’s office hours are Monday to Wednesday. If you have any urgent queries outside these hours you can also contact her on her mobile number which is; 021 873 038.
A message from our President
As yet another year chugs towards an end and the upcoming festivities with loved ones, family and friends begin, it is a timely reminder to reflect on what we have achieved in this last year...
· A new President, Vice President and three new board members.
· A new Secretary/Administrator (Carrie Trow).
· We have completed one Burns Camp. Thanks heaps to Nathalie.
· Another very successful year with fund-raising. (Keep those donations rolling in folks).
· A couple of coffee groups with burn survivors and their loved ones.
· An ongoing commitment to Education. Heaps of thanks Nathalie. Heaps more work there in 2010.
And
· Many of the smaller achievements which are obviously too many to mention and yet are an important factor in demonstrating the successful group of people which I think we are.
I would like to say a very special thanks to:
· Jan Steele, our Vice President, who is a great supporter and really is doing the day to day hands on stuff for the Board.
· Delwyn and Alan Breslau, our very special friends and inspirational founders.
· Every one of our many supporters, victims current and past and those families and supporters who are affected by burns injuries.
· Our very special people who work at Middlemore Hospital and especially those extra special people in the National Burn Centre.
As president of the Burn Support Group Charitable Trust, Inc. I would like to re-pledge our commitment to an ongoing focus on burn prevention, support and treatment of burns.
And finally, I would like to give you my personal best wishes for a relaxing, safe and joyous Christmas and a very special wish for the New Year; trusting that all your dreams, hopes, expectations and rewards for your efforts will prosper to reap the treasures you all so worthily deserve.
Ho Ho Ho
Merry Christmas,
George Stephens
A message from our Vice President
Hi, my name is Jan Steele, and I have had the privilege of being involved with the Burn Support Group Charitable Trust, Inc. since 1986 / 1987. I was first involved as a board member and minute’s secretary and then in August of this year, I was honoured to be nominated and elected to the role of Vice President of the trust.
I have worked at Middlemore Hospital for 25 years (come February 2010) – always in Plastic Surgical and Burns Reconstructive Surgery and for the last seven years, focusing solely on burns. I am a foundation staff member of the National Burn Centre (NBC).
A burn injury is the worst possible injury the human body endures, and the survivors of a major burn injury have their life irrevocably and permanently altered in so many ways. I am very passionate about burns and I find it an absolute privilege to work with and care for the burns patients.
I was born in Kaitaia, but grew up in the beauty of Coromandel. I am a ‘hospital trained’ nurse, having done my training at the Thames Hospital School of Nursing – they really were the ‘good old days!’
I am married to Andrew, mother to Graeme and Robbie, and Nan (or Nana or Nanny) to the three most beautiful girls – Alicia, Ava and Leah.
In my spare time, I have many varied interests – reading, antiques, gardening, baking, netball, rugby, listening to music, walking, spending time with my family, and of course, the work that I do with the Burn Support Group.
Regards from,
Jan Steele
Staff profiles:
Education Officer
Hi everyone,
My name is Nathalie Johnson. I joined the Burn Support Group Charitable Trust, Inc. nearly a year and a half ago as one of their two part-time employees. I am a mother of three, raising my two daughters (aged 13 and 10) and my 7 year old son. My priorities in life are spending quality time with my children, friends and family and ensuring that I contribute to my relationships with people in both my personal and professional life in a positive manner. Hence, when the opportunity arose to apply for a position with Burn Support Group as their Education Officer, I saw that as a chance to use the skills learned in my Bachelor of Education degree in a very constructive and worthwhile way.
The 25 hours a week that I spend educating children at schools and talking to community groups about burn prevention are both professionally and personally satisfying because I believe that over time we will end up making a difference in the burn statistics and reduce the number of burn injuries that occur each year. I have also really enjoyed re-designing our burn prevention pamphlets and creating resources to teach with this past year as well as organising and coordinating the annual children’s camp last January.
I look forward to continuing to work with those of you I have enjoyed working with so far and developing relationships with new contacts in the next year. To all of you who receive our newsletter; burn survivors and their families, BSG supporters, board members and coalition partners in educating about burn prevention, I would like to say thank you for your support and the knowledge and personal experiences you have shared with me this year that have helped me to do my job.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, enjoy the time you spend with family and friends over the holidays and hope that all your wishes for the New Year come true.
Kind regards,
Nathalie Johnson
Secretary/Administrator
Merry Christmas everyone, after being on board with Burn Support Group Charitable Trust for a couple of months I have settled in nicely. My role as the Secretary/Administrator involves taking care of all the administration duties that appear daily and visiting the burn survivors in Kidz First providing support where needed.
Over the past couple of months I have been busy learning the ropes and making new contacts. My background is in office administration and customer service. I have real passion for organising events and children, who really make you enjoy every moment.
I have two children, Brayton is three and Kyra is one. In my spare time I try to get to the gym and love catching up with friends.
I am really looking forward to working closely with everyone in 2010.
Have a Safe and Merry Christmas xxx
Carrie Trow
Coffee Morning
A good turnout of 15 burn survivors, their family members and Burn Support Group Board members and staff met at The Coffee Club in Sylvia Park on Sunday the 20th of September. All those present enjoyed a chance to chat about shared experiences, new treatment options and life in general in a relaxed atmosphere. Further coffee mornings shall be organised for next year and it is our intention that these opportunities to get together remain a regular feature on the Burn Support Group calendar. If you are interested in being a part of the next coffee group, please call the office on 09 276 0250 or e-mail us at: info@burns.org.nz. [info@burns.org.nz]
Education
Our burn prevention education sessions are continuing to a variety of audiences. In addition to regular teaching sessions in schools we were invited to speak to groups including Cook Island and Niue community groups, senior citizen groups, children attending school holiday programmes and teenage Mums attending the Te Taonga Teen Parent Unit.
In addition, our new burn prevention brochures continue to increase in their popularity. They are now available at Starship Children’s Hospital’s information centre, parent rooms in the maternity, neonatal, surgical and medical wards at Kidz First Children’s Hospital and will be included in all Plunket information packs given to new Mums. They are also available for downloading in PDF format on our website www.burns.org.nz.
If you know of any schools, community groups or early childhood centres who would like to participate in our FREE Burn prevention seminars please contact us at: education@burns.co.nz. [education@burns.org.nz]
Fund-raising
The Auckland community and their wonderful generosity have left us speechless and given Burn Support Group a massive boost again this year. Our telemarketing campaign this July-September brought in a fantastic total of $75,000. The team at Southern Stars Charitable Trust did a tremendous job, especially given the current economic situation.
$25,000 to be donated to the National Burn Centre
When we began this year’s fundraising campaign we received a request from the National Burn Centre to help them raise funds towards the purchase of equipment to be used in the treatment of burn patients in their operating theatre. The substantial amount of money raised as a result of this year’s telemarketing campaign enables us to donate $25,000 to the National Burn Centre for the purchase of micro vascular equipment for their operating theatre. This equipment is used for micro vascular tissue transfers in burns and plastic reconstructive surgery and a number of different surgical procedures such as the re- attachment of arteries, veins and nerves.
The Fire Protection Association New Zealand (FPANZ) makes yet another substantial donation to Burn Support Group!
On the 9th and 10th of September this year FPANZ held their annual Conference & Exhibition at the Ellerslie Event Centre in Greenlane, Auckland. Not only did each person who registered to attend the conference donate $5 to Burn Support Group, but guest speaker Peter Leitch and the band “Retro” donated their fees to the trust! The funds raised totalled $3,600!
The photo below shows Burn Support Group's president George Stephens receiving a cheque for $3,600 from Fire Protection Association NZ President, Kevin Kennedy.
Burn Support Group would like to thank all those who registered for and attended this year's FPANZ Conference and helped raise these funds which will enable us to continue our burn prevention education programme in primary schools and help to fund our annual children's camp.
Parent & Child Show
In partnership with the NZ Fire Service and Safekids, Burn Support Group was at the Auckland Parent & Child Show this year, sharing burn prevention messages with interested parents and their children.
The photo below shows Safekids’ Anthony Rola, New Zealand Fire Service’s George Stephens and Burn Support Group’s Nathalie Johnson.
An overview of “Volunteer & Emergency Service Open Day” By Jan Steele
Sunday, 22nd November saw the above event being held at the Telstra Event Centre for the first time.
The weather was not the kindest, and Rosemary (board member) and I were not relishing the thought of getting wet, as no one had told us that we were going to have our display outside!! Thank you, to one of the kind organisers who took pity on two woeful board members and allocated us some space inside – we were so grateful.
Setting up was easy, and once the day was officially opened, there was a slow, constant stream of people coming through. There were not as many as we would have liked but the weather definitely kept a lot of people away.
Our display seemed to be a ‘draw card’ for those who came into the centre and I found it very interesting to hear comments like; “ Ooh, I didn’t know the water out of a tap could burn like that” or “Wow, Is that a real burn or just models made up to look like that?” Rosemary and I did a lot of teaching!! Our balloons (thank goodness for the balloon pump) and stickers were very popular with the children, and it was very nice to get 45 entries in our competition which was won by Ruth Tisson. She won a yummy food hamper. The second prize went to Glenis Classen who got an eight cup coffee maker.
We would have liked to see more children take the time to enter.
Overall, it was a great day aside from the fact that we did not get as many numbers along as we had hoped. However, if we have made a difference to at least one person, then it was worth it! Here to next year’s Volunteer Emergency Services Day.
Burn Support Group Charitable Trust, Inc. would like to thank New World Papatoetoe and Manukau Ten Pin Bowling for their donations towards the food hamper and raffle prices used this day.
Wellness at Work
In the last six months Burn Support Group has helped three burn survivors in obtaining scar treatment from Chris Toal and staff at Wellness at Work Ltd in Mount Eden using ScarsAway and the Bodywall as seen on TV1’s Close Up in June this year. So far, the changes these patients have seen in both the appearance and flexibility of their scar tissue has been very impressive. Chris can be contacted at: www.wellnessatwork.co.nz.
Coming up in 2010...
Entertainment Book Fund-raiser
Starting in 2010 we will be selling the popular books as a fund-raiser for Burn Support Group. These can save your family a great deal of money while enjoying a variety of dining experiences, leisure and sports activities and local attractions. Further details about this fund-raiser will be posted on our website in February next year.
Newsletter contributions
If you have any comments about the contents of this newsletter or ideas for future newsletters please don’t hesitate in contacting: nathalie@burns.org.nz [nathalie@burns.org.nz]or carrie@burns.org.nz. [carrie@burns.org.nz]
And last but not least!
We would like to wish you all...
A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Kind regards,
Carrie, Nathalie & all the board members from Burn Support Group Charitable Trust Inc.