I created a page on facebook just for the Enduring The Burn project. I want it to take on a life of it's own, and was afraid it wouldn't do that if it was just an off-shoot of Robin Wilks Photography. I have another two survivors lined up to participate. I just need to hammer down the photo dates, etc. I am hoping with it's own page, the project might find more survivors who want to get involved.

I had a long conversation with Steve Lobel yesterday. We talked about how his project "Recognition Beyond Burned" came to be and how it has now become a passion for him. I completely understand how he feels. I just started my project and already it has become a huge part of my life. I want so badly to do justice to all of the survivors that become a part of this. Speaking with Steve definately made me feel hopeful where that is concerned. He said that he is still in contact with many of the survivors he met and photographed. That, to me, is icing on the cake. To be able to meet all of the wonderful people and tell their stories for them, and also make lifelong friends out of it. That would be a blessing! My next goal is to contact some more of the foundations that service burn survivors and find out if I can possibly send them some literature regarding the "Enduring The Burn" project. It is my hope that I will start seeing some interest from survivors who wish to be a part of this. Thanks, again, Steve for your time on the phone yesterday and your generous offer to collaborate on my project with me!

As you can see, I have named the photo-documentary project. I wrote the intro with my part of Samantha's story already, but need to edit it. It took me a long time to write what I already have, because even after years of going through all of this with Sissy, I sat and cried the whole time I was writing. Re-living a story like hers is just as traumatic the one hundred and first time as it was the very first time. With that being said, I thought I would post the first paragraph for you. Let me know what you think.

en·dure (verb)

1.       bear hardship – to experience exertion, pain, or hardship without giving up

2.       tolerate disagreeable things – tolerate or accept something that is extremely disagreeable

3.       survive – to last or survive over a period of time, especially when faced with difficulties

 

        I titled this book “Enduring the Burn” for several reasons.  The survivor has to endure not only the physical pain, but also the mental pain that goes with living through a burn injury.  The scars run deep, again, both mentally and physically.  You have to have endurance to be a survivor.  But the survivor isn’t the only one who suffers. The family members also share the survivor’s pain.  While they don’t feel the physical pain that comes with dressing changes or therapy, they do feel the emotional pain of watching someone they love suffer through such an experience. In both cases, enduring seemed to be the best word choice I could come up with. 





 

As you may or may not know, cancer is not the only thing that is close to my heart. My oldest daughter was severely burned when she was a baby and we spent years in and out of the hospital with her burn care. As I researched the Cancer project, I found that there are a lot of similar projects already out there, and not a lot of funding available. As I sat there researching grants and such, a friend of mine mentioned the fact that Cancer was not the only thing that had touched our lives. The more I though about it, the more I realized, that while Cancer had touched several people in my family, the burns I was intimately familiar with. I was the one who went through each and every one of Samantha's 40+ surgeries with her. I did all of her dressing changes and handled all of her at home burn care. I sat down and talked with Samantha about the possibility of doing a Burn Survivor project instead. She was very interested and said that she thought it would be a great project. I did some fact finding and e-mailed some of the people I know from the different hospitals we have been to and also some of the foundations that we are associated with. The general consensus is that it would be a worthwhile project not only for the burn survivors, but also for the family and friends of the survivors. So I have gotten in contact with a burn society to see what direction I should go from here. I was excited about The Face of Cancer, but I cannot pass up an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with my amazing daughter on a project of this scope. So stay tuned and I will keep you updated on how this progresses.