From November 12-15, our survivor services team of Michael, Martha and Erika attending the Phoenix Society’s World Burn Congress in Convington, Kentucky. An amazing group of 800 burn survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, and community members gathered together for 4 packed days full of powerful/insightful workshops, shared experiences and uplifting moments. The team was able to support the congress through leading support groups, being a part of panels and presenting about the amazing programs AARBF is able to provide in California. It was a great week of connection and continued healing.
Our Northern Care Manager, Michael Knopf, had this to say, “given that I was burned over 25 years ago, I felt for a long time that World Burn Congress wasn’t intended for me and that I had missed my window to attend and it be impactful. I felt like I was no longer the target audience for an event like that and it was more suited for folks who had been burned more recently. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised have the realization that WBC is an opportunity for all burn survivors to explore their identity and feelings as a burn survivor regardless of when, how, or how badly you were burned. It was so incredible for me to experience this and it was a much-needed reality check that no matter how far I’ve come, or how much progress I’ve made there is still so much gain from opportunities like this.”