Rehabilitation for burn survivors in Taiwan

Since 1981, Sunshine has been helping burn survivors in Taiwan rebuild their lives by providing physical and psychosocial rehabilitation services. Many of our clients were injured at home, with causes ranging from faulty electricity to cooking fires. In many cases, these injuries could have been avoided. That is why Sunshine also carries out burn prevention to help reduce the incidence of burns and avoid tragedies from happening in the first place.

In 2018, Sunshine partnered with the Fire Safety Museum of Taipei City to develop a burn prevention interactive multimedia exhibition called In/Visible Dangers.

Virtual tour of In/Visible Dangers burn prevention interactive multimedia exhibition

The first section, Seeing Dangers, aims to help the general public identify hidden dangers in the home, as well as point out common mistakes that can lead to a fire accident. The second section, Seeing Hope, aims to teach the public correct response in case of fire in the home or a public space, as well as correct first aid methods. In the third and final section, Seeing Sunshine, the public gets to learn about the reality of life after burns and the long process of rehabilitation through the stories of burn survivors.

Since the exhibition opened in May 2018, over 70,000 people have visited, with more than one third of them being kindergarten and elementary school children.

Sunshine believes that prevention is better than cure, so raising awareness about fire safety and correct first aid is crucial, but at the same time, we also strive to raise awareness about the experience of burn survivors so that once our clients complete their rehabilitation process and return to an active life in society, people understand their unique experience and give them the support and respect that they deserve. Thanks to your support, we not only help burn survivors recover their physical functions, but we also create a friendlier and fairer society where people who look different are treated equally.

Every year, Sunshine Foundation provides services to over 500 children with burns or facial disfigurement, our Little Sunshines. Chuan-Chuan is one of them…

Chuan-Chuan was burned when he was four years old, sustaining 2^nd and 3^rd degree burns over 30% of his body. After being discharged from hospital, he came to Sunshine’s Rehabilitation Center to undergo physical rehabilitation. Afraid of feeling pain, Chuan-Chuan would start crying the moment he reached the door of the Center and would refuse to go in. He also showed signs of PTSD, crying every time he would see strangers. His mother who had to quit her job to take care of him full-time couldn’t bear to see her son in pain, yet she knew that rehabilitation was necessary. Under tremendous financial and emotional pressure, both mother and son would sometimes breakdown and cry at the entrance of the Center.

Apart from therapists providing physical rehabilitation, Sunshine’s social worker and psychologist also provided play therapy to Chuan-Chuan and psychological counseling to his mother. They also encouraged mother and son to take part in support groups to share with other parents going through similar experiences and in the process, find peer support.

One year later, Chuan-Chuan has greatly improved and he is no longer afraid of rehabilitation. With the emotional support of social workers and thanks to financial aid, Chuan-Chuan’s mother is under less pressure and is better able to manage her emotions.

Every year, Sunshine provides services to over 500 children with burns or facial disfigurement, including physical rehabilitation, psychological counseling and return-to-school preparation. Sunshine also carries out burn prevention in schools. We can do this through your ongoing support. We invite you to continue supporting Sunshine’s efforts to make the pain of Little Sunshines go away.