Dan's Fund for Burns :: Need some help? :: Survivors stories

 

Message from Polly Miller, founder & Director of Dan's Fund for Burns...

Since I’ve been burnt I have had the pleasure of meeting many other Burn Survivors who are courageous, kind, sympathetic and simply amazing people. I have been lucky enough to meet them through a support group set up, with the help of Dan’s Fund For Burns, at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London and through the internet and this website.

 

Here is a selection of their stories from Polly:

 

Sue Thompson attends the Chelsea & Westminster support group – she is a lady who was badly burnt by a gas explosion in her flat 12 years ago. She suffered 40% burns to her face, back, hands and front and despite endless surgery and pain, she has the most fantastic outlook on life. I am pleased to say she was recently happily married and is keen to help others that have been burnt. During my time with her she shared a poem with me that she had written shortly after coming out of hospital, when faced with the reality of dealing with the public eye.

 

“I was burnt in a fire just over three years ago,
At first it was a real struggle to face the world and have some get up and go,
Most people that I meet are kind
They can see through the scars and find,
The same old me
Just the same as I always used to be.

Now and again, I would come across the odd one who would make me cross.
Some would stop, stare, laugh and point at me
I would think, why can’t they see
I am still the same old me.
Just the same as I always used to be.

Now I find I don’t care
Let them stop, look and stare
I know that I am still me
Just the same as I used to be.

So when you see someone like me
Be as thoughtful as you can be
Remember to look through the scars
And see
The person beneath
After all, aren’t we all the same underneath?

The World is changing every day
Lets hope people’s attitude changes the same way
I know it won’t change over night
But with your help it just might ”

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I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting Stephen Gavin, a chap burnt in an arson attack on his car several years ago.
Stephen, who is happily married with 2 kids, is the life and soul of any group, constantly cracking jokes, was kind enough to share with me his memories of after the event.

An extract of his writing is shown here but if you like to read the complete transcript simply follow this link >>>

 

MY DREAMS

A Short Compilation of Words Written by a Burns Survivor

 

PRELUDE

 

Burns a nasty subject, very painful and quite disfiguring, but not all is lost
Life goes on for us all.

 

I have had hard times since the accident but that won’t stop me getting and being what I want in life, I won’t let it.

 

This book is just a very small insight to my accident and life in hospital; I hope it can help some people to understand what burns victims have to go through.

 

We cannot change the opinions of the public those that frown at us, someone made a very good statement to me to help me with people staring,
“If you look at them then they will look at you”

 

To anybody I would say be strong do not let them get you down there is always tomorrow and live life to the full.

 

BE LUCKY…!

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From Michael Harding, a school boy at Christs Hospital School after the second World War, who met many of the wonderful burn survivors known as "Guinea Pigs" at their visits to Alfred Wraggs home where many of them enjoyed trips out from East Grinstead Hospital:

 

"During World War II many fighter pilots were shot down and burnt badly on their face and hands, and a lot of them were treated at East Grinstead Hospital, Kent, where I myself have had several operations. Adopted by the local community, these men became fondly known as the Guinea Pigs."

 

To read Michael Harding's own account of his recollections of the famous burns surgeon, Mr McIndoe, and the charitable works of the Wagg family at that time, simply follow this link >>>