COMMUNITY & CULTURE
T CHILD
Y
ou'll likely hear, “What did you do this summer?” echoing
in the hallways once the first day of school rolls around.
For a few very special St. Louis-area students, they’ll
be able to say that a highlight of their summer was
attending camp - a place where they can experience and
enjoy crafts, dancing, zip lining, kayaking, canoeing and water tubing to
their hearts’ content.
But what makes the Midwest Children’s Burn Camp extra special is its
safe and supportive environment for young burn survivors, who spend
the week connecting and sharing their journey with others just like them.
Burn Camp is the only one of its kind in Missouri for children ages
6 to 17 with serious and traumatic burn injuries. Each year, it hosts
as many as 80 to 90 campers from all over the Midwest, with a large
percentage of them coming from the St. Louis area.
“There is no charge for kids to attend camp. It is 100 percent privately
funded,” said Lynn Huelsmann, executive director of Burns Recovered,
an organization founded in 1983 by a group of burn survivors with the
assistance of the burn care team at Mercy Hospital St. Louis.
Burns Recovered provides support for burn survivors and their
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NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT
families, as well as community awareness programs to prevent serious
burn injuries. Burn Camp was created in 1997 by Linda and Gary Hansen,
who both became involved with Burns Recovered following Gary’s
automobile accident that left him with severe, life-threatening burns. The
camp is the organization’s largest program.
“All the money donated to us for camp supports the children's
attendance - lodging, transportation, food, things like that,” Huelsmann
noted. “More than 50 percent of campers come from homes that are
financially distressed. Some kids don’t even have swimsuits or tennis
shoes or bedding.”
But perhaps the biggest concern for these young campers is learning
how to cope with their physical - and psychological - scars.
“It’s pretty remarkable when you think of someone who has to
physically heal from burns. It’s serious and painful to go through, as it
requires a lot of time for the injuries to heal. Many are still going through
procedures a year or so later,” Huelsmann explained. “The other part is
the physical scarring. It’s difficult, whether you are a child or an adult.
Maybe questions about your appearance are not framed in the nicest way.
And sometimes, children will be bullied because of it.”
Burn Camp is held at Camp Sabra in the Lake of the Ozarks, and takes
place this year from Aug. 7 to 13, Huelsmann said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the campers and experiencing camp
just like them,” she said. “You get the opportunity to be a kid again,
especially with a group of people who have had to overcome so much.”
facilities in the care of burns in Missouri, and educate the public in burn
awareness and prevention.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Burns Recovered and Neiman Marcus present
the fifth annual More Than a Fashion Show to benefit the Midwest
Children’s Burn Camp. A highlight of the event on Thursday, Sept. 7, is
a runway show featuring campers alongside Neiman Marcus models. For
ticket information, or details on how to donate or volunteer, call (314)
997-2757 or visit brsg.org.
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MISSION: To assist burn survivors in their recovery, support medical