"I thought that after being discharged from hospital, everything would be fine. I never imagined that instead it would be the beginning of everything…"

Simple movements like raising the arm, opening the mouth, turning the head suddenly because difficult, even impossible because of scar contracture.

Brushing one's teeth, eating or taking the bus suddenly become an insurmountable challenge.

This is the reality of burn survivors who must undergo intensive rehabilitation to regain the ability to live independently. They bear the pain because they are motivated by a simple wish: to return home, to return to work, to be reunited with their children.

I’m not afraid of failing…

A-Hui sustained severe burns over 80% of her body. She chose to survive and live, but after being discharged from hospital, she soon realized that she still had to face many more hardships. Unable to walk and dependent on her family for all her daily living activities, A-Hui decided to put all her efforts into rehabilitation, bearing the pain and constantly thinking about what she can do to get well sooner.

With the help of Sunshine's therapists, she progressively regained the ability to walk, eat by herself and care for herself. After a grueling six-month period, she was able to return home. Now, the challenge she has given herself is to have the courage to remove her pressure garments and show her scars in public, without worrying about what people think.

Recovery is a long process that requires your support

Burn scars take one to two years to mature. During that time, burn survivors are in a constant fight against scar growth and scar contracture that might limit functions. At the same time, they need to adjust to their different appearance and learn how to face the world confidently. As time goes by, they need to progressively prepare themselves to return to their normal, active life at school or at work. This is possible through the concerted effort of Sunshine's multi-disciplinary team of social workers, physical and occupational therapists, counseling psychologists, vocational counselors and social educators who support and accompany burn survivors and their family through this process of recovery.

We invite you to donate in support of our 2019 Burn Rehabilitation Program, so that together, we can help over 700 burn survivors across Taiwan recover and regain the ability to face the future confidently.

Ministry of Health and Welfare Fundraising Authorization Number 1071363311