Portland Burn Survivors, Inc.

a Message from the President

When you meet truly injured people, you want to help. Nice Lights turn on automatically. But how? Burn injuries commonly involve years of recovery. Many survivors have lost loved ones, careers, physical function and the sense of personal identity. Post-hospitalization is a fresh hell, fraught with adaptation issues (how do you install a shower seat?) and pain that has to be handled carefully; it may take trial & error to find the right cocktail to insure pain management, which causes stress as well.

Survivors require support; financial, physical and emotional. It's necessary to heal and allow for future reconstructive surgeries. It's time consuming and can be overwhelming. We think local corporations will listen to our requests and we hope that soon we're able to remove some financial burden.

Portland Burn Survivors also appreciates the need to stop for a minute and breathe; we recognize the therapeutic properties of altruism; generosity of spirit, sympathy and overwhelming empathy are all part of life altering injuries; I think it helps us heal faster. Maybe you want to volunteer at an orphanage or build something with habitat for humanity. Just get out and laugh, relax for a minute and let PBS pay for a much needed vacation.

Helping others is empowering and leaving home brings perspective. Maybe you can't have the life you lived before the fire but whatever, kids don't care if your face is burned, they just want your attention. Maybe you can't work at your old job anymore but you can make a positive difference in someone's life. And you can have fun doing it!

With life there is hope. We have local things happening; check us at Community. Reach us at Contact.

Love ~ Alisa