Give burn survivors access to rehabilitation

A new pressure garments makes a world of difference

Since Sunshine started organizing pressure garment production trainings in Nicaragua in 2011, we have relied every year on “models” who help out by letting us demonstrate measurement and garment adjustment techniques. For the past two years, we’ve had “little models” selected among the burned children receiving rehabilitation services at our partner’s APROQUEN clinic. But because this year our goal was to demonstrate how to make a women’s vest, we called upon an adult model to help out. M. readily answered our call for help.

From feeling suffocated and constrained…

Having sustained scald burns over a year ago on 40% of her body, M. has benefited from the rehabilitation services of APROQUEN, including pressure garment services. For a year now, she has been wearing a men’s pressure garment vest, for want of a better option. When we met M. to demonstrate measurement techniques during the first day of training, it was immediately obvious that she wasn’t comfortable. The vest was not only too tight, but it also constricted and flattened her breasts, making it hard for her to breathe normally. Also, the movements of her arms were limited and she wasn’t able to raise them as she wished. One of her scars was still painful, and the constant pressure of the garment on it was unbearable. We could see her physical discomfort and the emotional toll that it was taking on her. Try to imagine having to live 23 hours a day for a whole year with a garment so tight it suffocates you and restricts your every movements…

Demonstrating measurement techniques to teams from each country took some time, all the while M. had to stand up, with quick 5-minute pauses between teams. Sometimes she felt cold, sometimes she felt hot. When we thanked her for agreeing to take part in this project and sacrificing some of her comfort, she replied that if this means that she and other women burn survivors can benefit from better fitting garments, then the sacrifice is very small but very much worthwhile.

…to feeling free and comfortable

Four days later, M. returned to try on the garments made by each team. The atmosphere was full of excitement and expectation. For the seamstresses and therapists, this was the culmination of a four-day, intensive and grueling training. For M., this would possibly be the answer to her prayers for more comfortable garments.

M. first tried on the garment made by the Sunshine team as a demo. When she came out, she had a huge smile on her face and we immediately knew how satisfied she was. She started to move her body, swaying her arms up, down and sideways, elated by the fact that she was now able to move so freely. Most importantly, she was able to take deep, big breaths without feeling constrained thanks to the bra cups integrated in the garment. This continued as she tried on the garments made by each team. The whole process felt a lot like a Miss Universe pageant with M. exiting the fitting room under our cheers and applause, sporting the garments made by the teams from Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama and Dominican Republic.

When asked to compare her old garment to the new garment, M. said: “Awful, simply awful. The difference between the two is abysmal, you can’t compare!” The best compliment that M. made was that she didn’t feel like she was wearing a pressure garment because it fit so perfectly to her body shape, giving enough pressure without hampering her movements or her breathing.

M. felt liberated, like a heavy burden had been removed from her shoulders. The smile on M.’s face, her comments and the way she moved so freely allowed all those present to truly witness the tremendous change that a good pressure garment can produce on a burn survivor’s quality of life, and how this project is so valuable for transforming the lives of many other burn survivors in the region.