West Penn Burn Center

Camp KOALA (Burn Camp) and one of our nurses is featured in a Post-Gazette article this weekend!

They Care: Kids with burns get a bully-free summer camp because of this Jefferson Hills nurse The camp began in 1986, and in that very first year, an intrepid burn unit nurse was intent on making it happen.

The Burn Center was very proud to see this young man graduate. https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/canon-mcmillan-senior-badly-burned-house-fire-defies-odds-walks-graduation/SWXZFINIERA7LH34CX6KDUXHGY/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem_manual&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3-sQO4AdzjacyT4-9WOEcaQaRjGQbRiiCLBu6Vl7V2-MYOLwpWkDFjkDs_aem_AcZbjWnOX4qmXdRBgDITLclOj1v_NoHd5D0xE0vRS5d3aTYzUeTMN8lMPo11NCIsBpHjRlPb5RlI-Yn9XRzQGa5c

Canon-McMillan senior badly burned in house fire defies odds, walks at graduation A senior at Canon-McMillan who was badly hurt in a house fire in February was able to walk the stage at graduation.

The Burn Center would like to Congratulate and Welcome Frank Phillips to his new position as Burn Outreach Coordinator. Frank has been active in EMS for over 16 years, was a paramedic with Pittsburgh for 5 years and currently is the Prehospital Care Coordinator at West Penn. Frank is also a Pittsburgh Iceman and has been the organizer for the 3 annual Hockey Tournaments that benefited Camp KOALA (Kids Overcoming, Adjusting, Learning and Achieving), our annual camp for pediatric burn survivors.

West Penn Burn Center would like to congratulate Lindsay Zupsic for achieving certification as a Burn Nurse. Lindsay has been a Burn Nurse for almost 15 years, working in the Outpatient Clinic and inpatient unit. She is currently an Assistant Nurse Manager on T2. Congratulations, Lindsay!!!!

On April 13, the third annual Burn Hockey Tournament was hosted between the It's All About the Warrior Foundation Warthogs, PA State Police, Pittsburgh Fire Hockey Club, and Pittsburgh Icemen ice hockey teams. The annual game is held to raise money for the AHN West Penn Hospital Burn Center.

This year, over $3,000 was raised to benefit the AHN's pediatric Burn Summer Camp held in early June. Representatives from each organization visited West Penn Hospital Today, Monday, May 6, to present the check to hospital staff and tour the Burn Center.

Players also had the opportunity to meet Dominic Mansmann, a current Burn Center patient at West Penn and a fellow ice hockey player.

West Penn Burn Center is proud of its Nurses!! Happy Nurse's Week to all our nurses!

West Penn Hospital's Burn Center wishes to celebrate all FireFighters on International Fire Fighters Day! We appreciate all you do!

Thanks to the Dormont Fire Department for this prevention tip:
Doing laundry is a part of your everyday routine. But how important taking care of your clothes dryer is to the safety of your home? With a few simple safety tips, you can help prevent a clothes dryer fire.
For more tips visit: http://nfpa.social/4P9950RaKvW

On April 10 a letter to the editor was printed in the Trib Live from a recent patient of the West Penn Burn Center. Thank you Mike Stehney for your shout out to our awesome team!

Letter to the editor: Burn center care exceptional I was recently admitted to West Penn Burn Center with second- and third-degree burns on both of my hands and forearms, my abdomen, knee and back. I underwent surgery a few days later. The care I received from everyone — doctors, nurses, aides, therapists and food service and housekeeping staff

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently published an article about Dr Aballay and the Burn Prevention Network.

On March 9th Burn Concern of Western Pennsylvania sponsored their 2nd Annual Family Bowling Event! Burn Concern is our support group for burn survivors run by burn survivors. They run monthly zoom meetings and sponsor family events throughout the year.
For more information, please go to Burn Concern of Western Pennsylvania page.

Congratulations to our Medical Director, Dr Ariel Aballay who was
recently named to the Burn Prevention Network!!
Per the Burn Prevention Network:
We are thrilled to announce the newest additions to the Burn Prevention Network (BPN) Board of Directors! 🎉 Please join us in welcoming:
Ariel Aballay, MD, FACS – Medical Director of the West Penn Burn Center, Allegheny Health Network
Emily Goldman, MSW, LSW, burn survivor and social worker
and
Vanessa Hartline, Director of Cash Management at PPL Corporation Read more here:

This past weekend, Fire and Iron Station 6 sponsored their annual Valentines Dance. Proceeds benefit West Penn's Burn Camp KOALA. Fire and Iron have been a sponsor of our camp for many years and are instrumental in its continued success. The dance was attended by staff and some burn survivors. Three people at our table were lucky and won baskets or the 50/50! THANK YOU Fire and Iron Station 6 for another great time!
If you are an adult burn survivor or family member and would like more information, please go to Burn Concern of Western Pennsylvania page.

This past Fall the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing and the American Burn Association (ABA) unveiled a certification exam for Burn Nursing. We are happy to Congratulate our first certified Burn Nurse (CBRN), Linda Correll Leonard. Linda has been a burn nurse at West Penn since graduating in 1981. She also participated in the ABA planning committees for certification.

This week is National Burn Prevention Week. This year the ABA (American Burn Association) is spreading awareness for flammable liquids burn prevention.

This week the staff in the Burn Center are honing their skills by participating in mock adult and pediatric patient admissions. Thanks to the STAR Simulation Center and their moulage, the "patients" were realistic.

West Penn Burn Center wishes everyone a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!

Some of our staff is attending the Southern Region Burns Conference and presented a poster. They were awarded first prize for their poster. Pictured are Caitlyn Paolillio and Rachele Shafer. Mariah Sturges also attended. All 3 are some of our awesome nurses on the Burn Center. Congratulations!

Per the International Association of Fire Fighters:
Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 7.

Working smoke alarms decrease the risk of dying in reported home fires by nearly half according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

In half of reported home fires in which smoke alarms were present but did not operate, the batteries had been removed or the alarm was disconnected due to dead battery alerts or nuisance alarms.

When you turn your clocks back, check your smoke alarm/change the battery.

Yesterday, we had a special visitor, Anthony Razzano. He was a patient when 12 years old in 1987 when the unthinkable happened on Halloween. He was hospitalized until January, 1988. Also there to greet Anthony was Dr Goldfarb, previous Director of the Burn Center and Linda Leonard, RN, both took care of Anthony as a patient. Anthony has written a book, titled Against All Odds, and brought some to give staff and provide for current/future patients.

Every year the IAFF (International Association of Firefighters) sponsor a camp for pediatric burn survivors from the US and Canada. Each Burn Camp sends one camper and one counselor. Camp KOALA sent Maddie Helms and Dany Barron (Occupational Therapist and Camp Activities Director)!

This Fire prevention tip comes from the International Association of Fire Fighters.

This week is Fire Prevention Week.... Here are some tips from the ABA (American Burn Association) to prevent Fires/burns from cooking.

This past Saturday, Burn Concern of Western PA and West Penn Burn Center's Camp KOALA sponsored a day at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Hooray for Zoo Day was open to all burn survivors and their families. Participants saw some cool animals, had great weather, ate some delicious food, met new friends and shared their stories.... Dr Aballay, Director of the Burn Center and some of the staff also attended.