- Video shows how burn survivors and their families gather at Valley Children's Ice Center for the 7th Annual Burn Survivors Christmas Party.
- Skating on the ice with Santa Claus, taking pictures with Santa, and hot chocolate as well!
Santa Claus has taken a break from the North Pole and is spending time with kids on the nice list. Burn survivors get together and reconnect reconnect with others who understand what they’ve overcome — all thanks to the Grossman Burn Center.
“We don’t have to have the problem of everyone looking at you like that little side eye trying to figure out what happened to you cause we all basically have the same story and it’s nice to come here and see all our friends that we’ve made from burn camp and just be able to hang out with people like you,” said Landon Foster.
14-year-old Foster became a burn survivor when he was 11 — receiving treatment from the Grossman Burn Center.
The Center, founded in 1969, works hands on with burn patients — providing burn care and helping survivors redefine their futures while also giving them events like the 7th Annual Burn Survivor Christmas party.
Foster says he looks forward to these events since he’s able to simply be a kid and have fun. Getting to reconnect with other survivors that he calls his burn family and also his doctor whose preformed three surgeries on him.
“Being trusted with somebody’s care after something as physically and emotionally traumatizing as a burn injury is very humbling,” said Physician Assistant at the Grossman Burn Center Kurt Richards.
Richards says he’s grateful for the bonds he’s made along the way, he says being able to see these events come to fruition makes him appreciate his job even more.
“To be able to give somebody their health back, their life back, to give them a new start is something that you can’t put a price tag on,” said Richards.
For 18-year-old burn survivor Emily Peters, her connection to the Grossman Burn Center is very special to her — saying these events make her feel like she’s at home.
“Oh it’s amazing I love being here with my burn family, it makes me feel so comfortable and so like in my place I love being here with my burn families for the holidays and just celebrating with them,” said Peters.
The Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation also attended in support, President of the Foundation Chris Bowles says part of the a burn survivors healing process is being able to drop their guard in public settings and these events allow for them to do that in a fun way.
“We’re around this a lot and being able to see this on the other side where the burn survivor and their families are able to get together, interact, have fun, be normal, it’s very rewarding for us to see that on the other side of the actual injury side,” said Bowles.
Burn survivors outside of the program are encouraged to participate in the Burn Survivor Monthly Mingle the next one is December 12. For more information call (661) 633 - 2876.
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