BATON ROUGE, La. – A group of 40 pediatric burn survivors headed
to Baton Rouge General’s Camp Catahoula Monday, July 15, in Lawrence,
Miss. The week-long camp provides some summer fun -- swimming, fishing
and games – all while sharing their experiences with other burn
survivors.
Camp Catahoula is staffed by volunteers from Baton Rouge General -- doctors,
nurses, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, and even
a chef – as well as the Baton Rouge Fire Department, Louisiana State
Police, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and Brothers
Keepers, a firefighters’ motorcycle club. Parents of young burn
survivors and adult burn survivors also volunteer at camp, which is free
for the kids to attend.
“It is rewarding to see the campers’ excitement as they interact
with other children recovering from burn injuries,” said Dr. Tracee
Short, BRG Regional Burn Center Medical Director. “To feel supported
and comfortable around other burn survivors who have faced the same trauma
and who carry similar scars truly aids in their emotional healing.”
Campers will enjoy an action-packed week, from inflatable obstacle courses
and Relay Olympics to fishing and a fair complete with games and a DJ.
They’ll have the chance to both ride and groom ponies, do arts and
crafts, and join in various small groups for sharing their stories.
Images to download available
here.
Several organizations support the BRG
Foundation by raising funds to send local children to the camp without any expense
to their families. The Baton Rouge State Fair Foundation, Baton Rouge
Fire Department, Brother’s Keepers, IBEW, Louisiana State Police,
and Synergy Biologics are a few of the camp’s biggest supporters.
BRG's Regional Burn Center was first established in 1970 and is one
of only 68 burn centers in the U.S. verified by the American Burn Association.
The rigorous verification process confirms that BRG’s team and facilities
are held to the highest quality standards of care management of burns
from time of injury through rehabilitation.
For more information, click
here.
About Baton Rouge General Medical Center
Baton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community
hospital with 588 licensed beds between two campuses. Baton Rouge General
opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community
with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital
since 1991, Baton Rouge General serves as an affiliate of Tulane University
School of Medicine, and offers other medical education programs, including
a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine
Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Sports Medicine
Fellowship Program. For more information, visit
BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at
Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter at
@BRGeneral.
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