Contact us
Burns Support Group
Charitable Trust Inc
Prevention | Education | Care
- Holding educational seminars for interested community groups.
- Creating burn prevention awareness by attending appropriate community events with our display stand and relevant resources.
- Working with other community groups such as NZ Fire Service, and Safekids to promote injury prevention awareness.
- Providing FREE burn prevention lessons and resources to schools, kindergartens and Kohanga Reo and other community groups in Auckland.
- Providing FREE resources and ideas to interested teachers and schools throughout New Zealand.
- Visiting patients and their families in Middlemore Hospital.
- Improving patient care through the funding of equipment to help burn patients, over and above that funded by the health service.
- Fostering the sharing of information between burn survivors, their families, health professionals and other interested parties.
- Improve patient care for burn patients by attending appropriate conferences and workshops.
- Offering to accompany and support children who have burn injuries when they return to school.
- Providing opportunities for mutual support for burn survivors, such as workshops and our annual Burn Support Children’s camp for 7-17 year olds.
- Providing support that is not able to be funded through other means.
- Linking survivors to other support system
More Details About Us
Founder and Patrons
How do you grade a burn and what does that mean?
Alan's Achievements
Born and bred in New York City, I attended and graduated the High School of Music and Art and trained at the Juilliard School of Music forming my own 18 piece orchestra.
I graduated with a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in 1954. Specialised in plastics becoming President of the Society of Plastic Engineers of Delaware Valley, Editor of the The Alembic (the American Chemical Journal), Technical Director of two plastics companies in New York and Hong Kong, held two patents and was an Adjunct Professor at three universities in Philadelphia and New Jersey.
- Initiated the Burn Survivor Special Interest Group at the American Burn Association and served as first Chairman of the Bio Ethics in Burns Committee of the ABA.
- Member of the International Society for Burn Injuries, Delaware Valley Ethics Committee Network, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Society for Testing and Materials.
- Served on the boards as President of two private schools in Philadelphia and as Chairman of the Arts and Culture Commission of the Bucks County Council for the Arts, Pennsylvania.
- Enlisted in U.S. Army during World War II serving in England, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
- Testified before committees of both the House of Representatives and the US Senates as well as before legislatures of several states on the issues of fire safe cigarettes and consumer product safety.
Plane Crash
Delwyn and Awards
In 1988 we held the first World Burn Congress and these have been held every year since. Burn survivors now come to the United States annually from all over the world to these congresses and it has to be one the most humbling and awe-inspiring events held on the planet.
It was at the very first congress that Delwyn and I met, fell in love and after a five year long-distance courtship, we married. We both derive great pleasure and satisfaction from having the opportunity to work together to help burn survivors which has now become our combined lifetime passion.
I am fortunate enough to have been the recipient of many awards, honours and prizes including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Burn Association and have been an invited guest speaker at numerous international conferences.
I have co-authored several books and written two. The latest one being “The Beauty of Disfigurement” which has recently been translated into Japanese.
My philosophy about being disfigured is that looking very different has many advantages. You don’t have to dye and spike your hair, or pierce and tattoo your body to stand out in the crowd. People notice and remember you just as you are and you will garner just as much attention – and sometimes even more! It is totally up to YOU whether you use the attention positively or negatively, so make the most of it!
Delwyn's Story
In 1984 my then 8 year old son, Brendon, sustained burns to 40% of his body in an explosion.
This personal experience made it obvious to me that some type of support organisation was desperately needed for burn survivors and their families.
Not only were they suffering intense physical pain, but sometimes also the loss of a home or family member and possibly also having to undergo a dramatic change in body or facial image, which can be a major psychological trauma in itself.
Achievements
It became my passion to alleviate as much suffering as I possibly could for these burn survivors and their families, so subsequently:
- Established the BURN SUPPORT GROUP CHARITABLE TRUST in Auckland in 1987.
- Established the first children’s burn camp in NZ, (which is still held annually by the BSGCT.)
- Served on both Middlemore and the Auckland Hospital Schools Board of Trustees.
- Became an Active member of COVAC (Co-ordinators of Volunteers of Auckland), Safe Kids and FINZ(Fundraising Institute of NZ) 1982 – 1990.
- Assisted by a substantial grant from ACC, established a national organisation of 21 other groups and contacts around New Zealand eventually becoming its national executive director.
- Invited to be a member of the National Task Force for ACC’s NZ wide Thermal Injury Programme in 1990.
- Established the first skin bank in NZ and fundraised for numerous items of hospital and surgical equipment for the Plastic Surgery Centre at Middlemore Hospital (now the National Burn Centre).
- Bi-annually attended many World Burn Congresses and American Burn Association conferences being a Special Member, Invited Speaker and exhibitor at several.
- Accompanied a study/lecture tour of China with the Phoenix Society, 1992.
- Received 15 national and international awards and medals including one from Queen Elizabeth 11 in 1990.
Alan and Phoenix Society
Upon marrying Alan Breslau, burn survivor and executive director of the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, in 1993, emigrated to the United States becoming its associate director. In this capacity established the first summer camp for burned children in Pennsylvania, Camp Susquehanna, co-ordinating and co-directing it for ten years.
During 20 years of involvement with the burn community, gave over 350 public presentations and numerous television, radio and media interviews throughout the U.S., Australia, China and NZ.
Alan and I retired from our directorships of the Phoenix Society in 1997. The society subsequently established an award in our honour which (in grateful appreciation to the BSGCT and the Phoenix Society) we have been able to present each year on the Banquet night at the annual World Burn Congress.
The Alan and Delwyn Breslau Award is the highest distinction the Phoenix Society can bestow. The award honours: “A Phoenix Society member who has, through a collaborative spirit, significantly enhanced the ability of the Phoenix Society to fulfil its mission of peer support, education, collaboration and advocacy. By virtue of their character, integrity and service provided to those impacted by a burn injury, this person has significantly enhanced the Phoenix Society and the burn community.”
We emigrated to New Zealand in 2003, at which time it was an honour to accept the invitation to become patrons of the Trust.
Staff
The Burn Support Group Charitable Trust staff are committed individuals who really care about the charity and upholding its values.
Trustees & Board Members
The Burn Support Group Charitable Trust staff are committed individuals who really care about the charity and upholding its values.