Phoenix Burns Project

Overview

The Phoenix Burns Project is a voluntary association dedicated to the care of paediatric burn survivors and the support of the families of these burns survivors. The Association carries out its charitable works for the sick and the needy without distinction of race, origin or creed. The Association is a registered Non-Profit Organisation (Reg No: NPO 57-154), founded and operated under the aegis of St John Relief Services.

The Patron is the Most Reverend Stephen Brislin, Archbishop of Cape Town.

Our Projects

Phoenix Bear With Your Rehab Project
Rehabilitation is a long and painful process for young burn survivors, who often have to return to hospital for a series of follow-up treatments. This project encourages informed compliance by the children and their parents with a long-term follow-up and rehabilitation programme.

Phoenix Fire Recovery Kits
The Phoenix Fire Recovery Kit provides all the essentials to assist those who have just lost all their possessions in a fire. The Fire Recovery Kit comes in a sturdy 100 litre plastic container that is large enough to double as a dry storage bin and can also be used as a baby bath. The container is filled with a large number of basic household items, toiletries, blankets, a small cooker, candles, and some basic foodstuffs for two people for several days.

Information For Parents of Burn Survivors
We provide resources for parents in hospital explaining the nature of their child's injury, the principles of treatment and the psychological and other rehabilitation issues. Our booklets are available for free in printed form or in electronic form on the internet.

Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Burn Survivors
When last did I see a burn survivor in a public place? Burn survivors are often marginalised by society. Young burn survivors are particularly vulnerable and become increasingly withdrawn as they reach their teen years, often dropping out of school. Phoenix supports the reintegration of child burn survivors back into society in a variety of ways, through school, church, art, and other means.

Advocacy On Behalf of Burn Survivors
Phoenix strives to raise awareness of the challenges and difficulties faced by burn survivors. Together with other stakeholders, Phoenix is working towards the recognition of severe burn injuries as a form of disability. In South Africa, there are no statistics collected on burn injuries on a systematic basis. Together with our partners, Phoenix is working on the collection of burn statistics to document the extent of this form of child injury.

Towards a Dedicated Burn Rehabilitation Centre
Phoenix's long-term goal is the establishment of a dedicated Burn Rehabilitation Centre, where burn survivors can experience continuity of rehabilitation care and follow-up after discharge from hospital. The Burn Rehabilitation Centre will address the physical as well as psychological and social aspects of burn rehabilitation, and will work closely with local hospitals, which will refer patients in the post-acute recovery phase.

Burn Awareness and Prevention Training
Burn injuries are the second-most common cause of mortality in South Africa for children under two years of age. The risk of burn injury can be greatly reduced by following safe practices. Phoenix offers fire and burn awareness training to any interested groups and to communities at risk.

Phoenix Forum
The Phoenix Forum provides an opportunity for all stakeholders involved in the prevention of burn injuries in children, and in the treatment and rehabilitation of child burn survivors, to come together to discuss a holistic approach to various issues of mutual interest. The Forum aims to provide networking opportunities and to facilitate partnerships among the various stakeholders.

Blessed Gerard

The organisation was founded at the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Visitation on the 13th of October 2006, Feast of Blessed Gerard. Blessed Gerard was a monk who founded a hospice in Jerusalem around the end of the 11th century to care for pilgrims and the sick, and this eventually became the Hospitaller Order of St John.