Dan’s Fund for Burns: Weekly Adult Burn Support Live Chat Open over Christmas

The Adult Burn Support UK (ABSUK) moderated weekly online Live Chat, funded by Dan’s Fund For Burns (DFFB), is available every Wednesday evening, 7.30-9.00pm, as usual throughout the Christmas holidays – 23rd and 30th December and every Wednesday thereafter.

The weekly Live Chat started in November 2018 and provides a private, secure online space where adult burn survivors or anyone affected by burns, can share experiences, ask questions, discuss any concerns they may be having and mutually support each other.   Members of the Psychological Therapies team at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, initially acted as moderators for the chat and developed a moderator training workshop which has now been delivered to 10 adult burn survivors who take turns each week to moderate the chat making it a good adult burn peer support option.

The chat was a welcome support option during the pandemic and we regularly had 7-10 people joining us each week during lockdown.   There has been a mix of burn survivors who sustained their burn injury recently along with some who were burned years ago and, from time to time, a parent of a burn survivor joins in.   The comments we receive continue to be positive – here are some examples:

“Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement, feeling a bit better already.”
“Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences, it is really encouraging to hear all of you.”
“I found this group about this time last year at a really low point. Really really helped.”
“This forum is a godsend.”
“I always come away from here with renewed energy and a bigger smile.”

A nice, supportive community has been formed.  We appreciate any support you can offer in reminding patients about the weekly online chat and helping spread the word.  We have leaflets available that could be put in waiting areas, on pin boards or in burns discharge packs so please do get in touch if you would like to receive some.

First-time users of the burn support Live Chat will need to complete a one-off registration and then login on the night and click in to join the live chat.  Follow this link for more information, https://adultburnsupportuk.org/live-chat/ .

Thank you in advance for your support.  On behalf of Dan’s Fund For Burns & Adult Burn Support UK, we’d like to wish you all a safe and peaceful holiday season.