By Marie-Claude Pelchat | Project Leader
Burns aren’t just an injury to the skin
When burns occur, the person suffers more than just external wounds on the body.The “hidden costs” that burn survivors face are often overlooked and often more difficult to overcome.This burden can affect every aspect of life, from financial hardship to social stigma and even psychological trauma.
Hospital discharge is not the end of the ordeal, but the beginning.The process of long-term rehabilitation is a huge burden.From wound healing to scar control, burn survivors need to undergo countless reconstructive surgeries and rehabilitation treatments, which not only consumes time and money, but also requires strong psychological willpower.They also need to wear pressure garments for a long time to prevent scarring and joint contracture, which is a very uncomfortable and inconvenient process.
This process comes with another hidden cost: a financial burden.Long-term hospitalization or rehabilitation often results in loss of wages due to the inability to work during this period.Especially when the breadwinner of the family suffers burns and scalds, the life of the entire family will be affected.
If children are burned or scalded, the interruption of education is also a hidden problem.When children suffer from burns and scalds, the long-term treatment and rehabilitation process may prevent them from attending school consistently.Even if the wounds heal, these children may be ostracized or bullied by their classmates due to changes in appearance, further affecting their learning and psychological well-being.
In addition to these practical difficulties, psychological trauma is often another huge challenge that burn survivors have to face.Burns and scald injuries not only leave physical scars but can also cause deep self-image issues.Many people become afraid of contact with others due to changes in their appearance and the social pressure that this change brings.
Burn survivors may experience social stigma and discrimination, which makes returning to normal life more difficult. Because scars create visible physical changes, people with burn injuries often fail to meet society's high expectations and standards for appearance, which puts them under tremendous pressure in social situations and may result in missed opportunities.
These invisible costs are hard to quantify in dollars, but they undeniably make the road to recovery for burn survivors more difficult. This is why it has been Sunshine Foundation’s mission since 1981 to provide comprehensive services for burn survivors; to assist them in their physical, psychological and social rehabilitation; and to uphold their human rights and dignity. By supporting our work, you help us ensure that the hidden costs of burns do not overburden burn survivors and their families, so that they can fully focus on their recovery.
We will be marking the first World Burn Week from November 4 to November 2024. With increased awareness of burns, we can advocate for better support for ALL burn survivors, in Taiwan and around the world.
We encourage you to:
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