Phoenix Burns Project | Helping Burn Survivors & their Families.

Phoenix Burns Project

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August Child Safety Month Campaigns

During Child Safety Month Campaigns this year, Phoenix is working as part of a Burns and Poisoning Prevention Group to provide education in schools on burns prevention and first aid. Other organisations represented in the group are: the Paraffin Safety Association of SA, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue, Childsafe, Eskom, and the MRC-UNISA Safety and Peace Promotion Research Unit (SAPPRU). Education will be offered in schools within the Strand areas of Nomzamo and Broadlands Park. The full campaign covers Burns & Poisoning, Crime & Violence Prevention, and Road & Pedestrian Safety, and involves multiple organisations collaborating to run presentations throughout August. This Child Safety Month campaign is organised by the Medical Research Council - UNISA: Safety and Peace Promotion Research Unit (SAPPRU).

Raising Awareness at Canal Walk

During Child Protection Week in May 2010, Phoenix Burns Project teamed up with Childsafe and the Paraffin Safety Association of South Africa to promote burns awareness at Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Century City. This was made possible by the Canal Walk Foundation donating free use of their Charity Kiosk. Pamphlets with burn safety tips and "Safer Candle Kits" from Childsafe were handed out to shoppers over the weekend of 28-30th May. Volunteers from all three organisations supported the cause.

SAMWUMED Donation to Phoenix

SAMWUMED National Medical Scheme staff decided to forgo Christmas presents this year and donated their funds to charitable organisations instead. The Phoenix Burns Project was among the organisations selected by staff for these donations. The staff managed to raise R2500 for Phoenix. Matching staff contributions, SAMWUMED doubled the sum donated to R5000. Lynn Erasmus, Marketing Manager, and eleven staff members from different SAMWUMED departments were present at the handover of a cheque. Ms Erasmus said that SAMWUMED staff had taken note of the work being done by Phoenix to support child burn survivors and that they wanted to show their support through this donation. Phoenix's Project Coordinator, May Bleeker-Phelan, accepted the donation on behalf of Phoenix and said: "We are very grateful for this wonderful gesture of support by SAMWUMED."

Meet Phoenix's new Project Coordinator

May Bleeker-Phelan joined us as part-time Project Coordinator from 1st November 2009. Her role is to assist with the day-to-day implementation and administration of various projects in support of burnt children and their families. This appointment was made possible through a donation from the international charity, Breadline Africa. May has a background in psychology, is a registered Psychometrist and shares her time between Phoenix and doing career assessments for the corporate world. She has experience in project coordination for non-profit organizations, worked for Children's Services in Tower Hamlets (London) and also conducted research projects for a National UK Children's Charity. She has a personal interest in burns and the impact of burns trauma on affected children and their families, having had personal experience of this.
May shares Phoenix's mission to provide support services to burn survivors, to raise awareness about burns prevention and to facilitate events aimed at increasing the social confidence of the child burn survivor. May can be contacted on
Tel: 082 932 9504
Fax: 086 517 5620
Email: admin@pbp.org.za

Magnificats hold benefit concert for Phoenix

The Cape Town choir, The Magnificats, held a benefit concert for Phoenix at the Diocesan College in Rondebosch on 13 May 2009. All the proceeds from the evening were donated to Phoenix. The event was organised by Peter Walsh, a member of the Magnificats and also a great supporter of Phoenix. In 2008, Peter ran the Comrades Marathon for Phoenix. The Magnificats, led by Mark Murray, put on a great performance that offered something for everyone, with a diverse programme that included music from composers such as Joseph Haydn, Edward Elgar and Andrew Lloyd Webber. A big THANK YOU! to Peter Walsh and the Magnificats, and to all those who attended the concert and made anonymous donations.

Cripps Sears and Partners donates state-of-the-art dermatome

The British company Cripps Sears and Partners has donated a state-of-the-art Humeca D80 dermatone and accessories to the Burns Unit at Red Cross Children's Hospital. This new dermatome will greatly improve the throughput, precision and cosmetic results of skin grafting procedures on children, and ultimately make a significant contribution to their long-term recovery prospects.

The donation was funded by the Action for Burns in Children Fund, established by Cripps Sears and Partners in 2008 to focus the company's long-standing commitment to support those affected by burns, particularly children. The fund receives contributons from Cripps Sears and Partners, and its clients and contacts.

Phoenix receives grant from Breadline Africa

The international charity Breadline Africa has awarded a grant of R70,000 to the Phoenix Burns Project to support project coordination costs. The grant will allow Phoenix to contract the services of a part-time Project Coordinator to run the day-to-day implementation of various projects and to cover administative costs associated with those activities. Breadline Africa raises funding internationally and distributes it to many groups and individuals working in ten prioritised areas to uplift African communities. Phoenix is the first South African organization working with burn survivors to receive support from Breadline Africa.