Rehabilitation for burn survivors in Taiwan

“I don’t know who you are or where you are, but I want to thank you!”

Shih-Yu is a third year university student majoring in Creative Product Design and Management. She was enjoying an outdoor concert with friends at the Formosa Fun Coast Waterpark on June 27 2015 when they were suddenly caught in the midst of a powder explosion ignited by fireworks near the stage. Shih-Yu says: “I don’t remember clearly the explosion but I remember people trying to escape and as I fell to the ground, I felt my legs burning.” As people were frantically looking for water to pour over their burns, Shih-Yu stumbled upon another injured girl holding a bottle of mineral water who said to her: “I’ll share this bottle with you.” Later on, as she sat on the ground unable to move, a stranger picked her up in his arms and helped her board an ambulance.

After sustaining burns on 38% of her body (mostly her legs) and undergoing more than one year of painful rehabilitation, she is now back to school. Although she still faces some challenges (for example, she is still unable to stand for too long because she will feel pain in her legs), Shih-Yu is eager to continue with her studies and be actively involved in student life. As president of her department’s student association, Shih-Yu mobilized her classmates and together, they put their creativity and artistic skills to use by organizing at the end of November a special DIY activity for clients of Sunshine’s Tainan Work Station. Art has a healing power and for Shih-Yu, this is a way to give back and express the gratitude she feels in her heart.

Shih-Yu didn’t get the chance to learn the names of the people who helped her that day or say thank you. Like the strangers who helped her the night of the explosion, Shih-Yu doesn’t know your name or where you are from, but she is well aware that throughout her recovery, she has benefited from the support of a multitude of generous people just like you: “I don’t know who you are or where you are, but I want to thank you!”

We hope that you will continue to support us during GlobalGiving’s 2016 Year End Campaign and consider making a donation to help burn survivors like Shih-Yu rebuild their life and start anew.

On behalf of everyone at Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation, we wish you Happy Holidays!

35 years ago, a burn survivor named Hsiao-Ya published her book “People Who Shun the Sunshine” detailing her ordeals after her burn accident: the long rehabilitation process, the difficulty adapting to her changed appearance, the discrimination she faced while trying to return to work… Hsiao-Ya’s story inspired a group of public-minded people who combined the resources of 10 nonprofit organizations to establish Sunshine Foundation in 1981, with the goal of providing professional assistance to help burn survivors and people with facial disfigurement on their difficult road towards recovery. Starting out with one staff in a small office, Sunshine has grown over the years and expanded its services across Taiwan, having helped over 16,000 people throughout the years.

To celebrate its 35^th anniversary, Sunshine organized on October 15 a special sports competition bringing together staff and clients for a day of fun activities. The Chairperson of Sunshine said: “Rehabilitation is like running a marathon against oneself. When you only have yourself to count on, it’s easy to run out of steam half-way through. That’s when you need a team around you to give you encouragement, guidance and support that will help you keep on running and finally cross the finish line.”

Just like athletes who are relentless in their pursuit of excellence, burn survivors rely on their will power and determination to achieve their rehabilitation goals. Just like a coach, Sunshine’s team accompanies burn survivors until finally they are able to return to their normal life. Just like the cheering crowd, your support gives impetus to our efforts and has made it possible for us to help countless burn survivors win their personal “marathon” for 35 years now.

We invite you to continue supporting our work, especially by donating during #GivingTuesday on November 29^th when the impact of your donation will be maximized thanks to GlobalGiving matching Funds.

When does #GivingTuesday take place?:

The 2016 #GivingTuesday campaign will begin November 29th, 2016, at 00:00:01 EST and end at 23:59:59 EST on November 29th, 2016. (November 29th, 2016, 12:00:01 Taiwan time until November 30^th, 2016 11:59:59 Taiwan time).

How will GlobalGiving be matching funds?:

There will be $500,000 USD in matching funds on #GivingTuesday, applied at 50% to all donations to eligible projects while funds last.

New recurring donations up to $100 USD per month per unique donor per organization will have their initial donation matched at 200% on #GivingTuesday.

What is the maximum amount for a single donation that is eligible to be matched?:

Online donations of up to $1,000 per individual donor per organization are eligible to be matched.

How can I donate?:

Just go to our project page https://goto.gg/10558 and make a donation online. Only online donations made by credit card, PayPal, or a GlobalGiving official gift card are eligible for matching. Donations made by check or text-to-give are not eligible.