September 2023 Burn Survivor & Family Message
Hello AARBF Family. My name is Andrew Mersmann, and I am the Director of Programs and Services.
When you were a kid, September meant a lot of things. Back to School (and even if school started earlier, it took a while until you found your rhythm), weather might be changing, days are getting shorter.
It is a time of change and leading into autumn. Generations thought about harvest, and preparing for harder times, preserving food, laying in supplies.
Change can be hard, but it can also be an opportunity to reset and revive. If not school, what might you “get back to” this month? Being kinder to yourself? Recommitting to yourself to what matters to you most? (Whether that includes physical health, mental health, relationships, career goals, communication, planning your future—all of it worthy of getting back to your priorities)
Let us help you. AARBF is YOUR foundation and committed to YOUR health and wellness on every level.
Some of the best ways we know to prioritize ourselves is to get together, to share laughs and share experiences and share pain and share wisdom. September starts with our Getaway Family Camp (Labor Day weekend) and then we get an amazing opportunity September 23, to gather at the annual Fundraising Dinner in Clovis. This event used to happen in December but is an autumn extravaganza this year, with so many of the people you want most to see all together. We hope you can join in for a truly celebratory event!
You deserve to be your own priority. All month, every month.
What will you “Get Back” to?
See you soon!
If you are a burn survivor or family member and wish to be added to our monthly email, please email [email protected] and indicate your region.
AARBF's Annual Dinner in Clovis
September 23, 2023
Join us for one of the BEST evenings in Clovis! You’ll enjoy a great event with dinner, dessert auction, silent and live auctions, as well as fun times with your friends in the Central Valley.
Use the link below to purchase your tickets.
You can also support this event by sharing our social media posts with your family and friends!
Phoenix Society World Burn Congress Scholarships
Conference Dates: October 4-7, 2023
Scholarship Applications Due: August 18, 2023
Have you heard of the Phoenix World Bun Congress? Have you been? We’d love to see you there—on the East Coast this year (the event moves to different locations each year). That’s a long way to go for us Californians, so AARBF wants to help survivors and loved ones who are planning on attending the Phoenix Society World Burn Congress (October 4-7 in National Harbor, Maryland). We look to help applicants with some financial support for conference registration and hotel (based on double occupancy) with our World Burn Scholarship program. Travel to Maryland, ground travel, meals, and other expenses won’t be able to be covered by us, but we hope you still get there and enjoy this incredible experience. Apply for the AARBF scholarship using the link below and find out all the details of the event at this link: https://www.phoenix-society.org/phoenix-wbc/
Support Groups
We have made changes to our support group registration process. Please contact Andrew Mersmann at [email protected] or 818-848-0223 Ext. 160 for all group registrations, regardless of your region.
Our Zoom rooms have changed. You will need to be registered with Andrew to receive the new Zoom links.
We are also working at restoring our regional groups to in-person. We will be happy to provide you with more information on this and address any concerns you may have.
Regional Support Groups
Southern California – September 10, 2023 from 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Currently virtual, this group is available to both survivors and their family members.
Fresno Community Regional Medical Center – September 12, 2023 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. This is an in-person regional support group open to both survivors and their family members. You may also contact Marissa McCallough at [email protected] to register.
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center – September 5, 2023 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. This is an in-person regional support group open to both survivors and their family members.
East Bay Burn Survivor – September 13, 2023 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. This is an in-person regional support group open to both survivors and their family members. **Will be virtual in September**
North Bay Burn Survivor – September 6, 2023 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. This is an in-person regional support group open to both survivors and their family members. **Will be virtual in September**
Saint Francis – September 28, 2023 from 11:30am – 1:00pm. Currently virtual, this group is available to both survivors and their family members.
Statewide Online Support Groups - All Virtual
All virtual support groups are open to out of state survivors. Please contact us to learn more.
Caregiver – September 7, 2023 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. This is an online state-wide support group for family members, caregivers, and loved ones of burn survivors. This group is closed to burn survivors.
Spanish Speaking – September 19, 2023 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. This is an online support group specifically designed for Spanish-speaking burn survivors.
Statewide – September 21, 2023 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. This is an online support group open to both burn survivors and their loved ones throughout California.
Additional Support
Peer Support – Not everyone is comfortable in a group setting, which is why the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation offers one-on-one Peer Support. Peer Support is a power tool for healing from a burn trauma. There is something magical that happens when one survivor sits and shares their experience and healing process with another. Peer support can relieve the feeling of being all alone in your experience. Peer support can come in many forms; a burn survivor talking to another burn survivor, a parent talking to another parent or loved one. This service is not limited to burn survivors. A burn injury can affect the entire family, caregivers and other loved ones.
Back to School Support (available upon request)
Featured Videos
AARBF’s Multimedia Resource Library includes tip sheets, videos, stories, and so much more. Video content within the library has been developed by the AARBF Community; including our staff, volunteers, burn survivors and community partners! Below are our featured videos for July!
AARBF Wellness Team members Jamba and Poppy share ways to help you manage stress and anxiety through breathing.
If you want to try yoga but think your body can’t do the yoga poses, then this video is for you. Our yoga team will show you how to modify the poses to suit your body.