Wisconsin-Nicaragua Burn Therapy Dressing Project

Burn Therapy Dressing Project Spring 2014 Update & Katherine’s story April 2014 marked 1 year of carrying out the Burn Therapy Dressing project at the W/NP Office in Managua, Nicaragua. The outstanding volunteerism support from Wisconsin and Nicaragua has made this project possible.

Pa ents and volunteers from both areas (Wisconsin and Nicaragua) share their me and experience every Tuesday and Saturday. These two days of each week have been specifically designated for the Therapy Dressing Project to provide one‐on‐one assistance to pa ents, to allow a me for volunteers to help out and to provide an opportunity for others to learn about the program.

Volunteers have been interac ng with the pa ents and learning how the Therapy Dressing process complements their recupera on.

When the pa ents discover this service of having garments custom fit for their affected or burned areas, they report experiencing relief of not having to wonder where will they find a garment? Markets do offer some op ons, but only in pre‐determined sizes of small, medium and large. This program is providing a personal service where all types of garments can be made to fit the pa ents according the right measurements and design necessary for the different burn cases. The burn program staff has advanced level sewing skills, a vital component for the project. The volunteers dedica on to the program is priceless, and pa ents repeatedly express their immense gra tude to those making the garments and to all the Wisconsin volunteers that support the program.

11 volunteers are part of this project, 3 male and 8 female: Dr. Leandro Perez (M), Bonerges Berroteran (M), Sandra Boniche, Guadalupe Núñez, Marcia Velázques, Kenia Delgado, Diddman Jarquin (M), Fa ma Hernadez, Suyen Cerda, Petronila Solis and Escarleth Suarez.

The efforts put forth by the volunteers have turned the sad experience for the burn pa ents into a mo va on for others through the sharing of their history in how their accidents happened, how useful the burn garment has been for them, and the results they experienced once they started to use the garments.

Katherine Moncada has offered to share her experience with you: Katherine’s accident happened January 13, 2014. She was cooking on a propane gas stove and the stove ran out of gas. In thinking how to con nue cooking, she and her brother started a fire on the ground in the backyard of their house. Once the ini al fire started, her brother decided to add acrylic thinner to stoke the fire. He filled the gallon cap with thinner and cast over the fire. As soon as the thinner made contact with the flame, more fire followed running to his right hand that was holding the cap.

As soon he felt the fire over his hand, he threw the cap into the air and the fire followed directly into Katherine’s hair that was next to him. Both children got scared and panicked trying to help Katherine ex nguisher the fire that was overcoming her. It was a trauma c situa on for Katherine and her brother. A er the unfortunate accident of her brother ge ng burned first on his right hand, and then Katherine’s burns, they sought help from a children’s hospital, but Katherine was not able to be treated because she was 16 years old and not considered a child. She was referred to the Lenin Fonseca public hospital where she stayed for a month and a half. Katherine had third degree burns on her right hand, breast, back, right shoulder, and the right side of her face from her hair being close to the provoked wood fire. She gives thanks to God that her burns were only in the men oned areas and that her head did not have more injuries from the fire.

During her stayed at the hospital, Katherine dropped below her regular weight as a result of her burned face, making it difficult to eat from her mouth. Her mother was feeding Katherine with a syringe li le by li le in an a empt to avoid a tracheotomy surgery that would be necessary if she could not get adequate nourishment.

A er a month and ½ , Katherine was healing properly and her mom was informed Katherine was going to need special garments for the burn affected areas that included a mask. She wondered where she was going to get them and how she would pay for them a er the hard me at the hospital. When the healing progressed and the motor movements started in the affected areas, the good news came from Dr. Leandro, who referred her to the W/NP burn garment project.

Dr. Leandro let her know pa ents who benefit from the program can make a contribu on for the garments, but it is not a requirement to get a garment. Katherine’s mother made a plan and an appointment at the W/NP project and she carried $20 to make one trip by taxi and make their way back home on the bus so this way they could provide some contribu on to the project. Once she let the volunteers know her economic situa on, her status of being a single mother with no support other than just her small salary, Katherine received the garments for free because that is the concept of the project.

Pa ents in need will receive garments, any contribu ons received in return are voluntary.

Katherine is a regular pa ent visitor to the office, she comes o en to the burn project, some mes her garments need to be changed or adjustments made, and other mes she simply comes to encourage and share her story with others as she did for the 2014 Learning Center Trek in February.

Katherine found more than physical healing from this project. The response to learn of garments being made for pa ents who need them, and the warm a en on from the volunteer staff has provided excep onal benefits in helping her to thrive in her rehabilita on. She has now started growing hair once again and her returned smile and laugh has been like a ray of sunshine to the Therapy Dressing project volunteers and pa ents.

So as we look back on one year this past April, it’s amazing to see all that has been accomplished in a rela vely short me period. Looking at the figures, and the impact, what a stellar example of how people working together can make a difference for someone like Katherine.

143 pa ents benefited with 362 garments made.

80 % from different department or ci es in Nicaragua, 20% from the capital city, Managua.

The first day Katherine was wearing a black hat and Suyen made the comment, “... to wear black color is not good for burn pa ent, black a racts heat and keeps warm, so will be not appropriate to use it.” Katherine was agreement so at her next visit Suyen brought to her different kinds of hats they made and she let Katherine pick and she picked the one Suyen made.