“The worst day of our lives turned out to be the best day,” recalls Linda Hansen, reflecting on May 9, 1991, when her husband Gary was severely burned in a car fire. This tragic event spurred the couple to dedicate their lives to supporting burn survivors and their families. Now, more than 30 years later, their efforts continue through the work of Burns Recovered, a St. Louis based nonprofit.
Midwest Children’s Burn Camp
After Gary’s accident the couple discovered there was little in the way of true support for burn survivors in St. Louis. In 1993 the Hansens found themselves a part of the Burns Recovered Support Group (BRSG) in St. Louis and worked diligently to transform it into a comprehensive resource for both survivors and their caregivers. One of their most notable achievements is the establishment of an annual children’s burn camp in Missouri. The camp opened in 1997 and was held at Camp Sabra.
“The camp lasted for one week, and no child’s family ever had to pay for it,” remembers Hansen, a long-time member of United Hebrew before moving to Florida. “Burns don’t discriminate by race, but by socioeconomics. Camp gives the kids an opportunity to build self-esteem and learn that they are not alone.”
The Midwest Children’s Burn Camp (MCBC) offers an authentic camping experience for children ages 6 to 17 who have suffered from burn and smoke inhalation injuries.
“Scars are a secret shame, but at camp these kids are among their own. They learn that they are not defined by their scars,” said Hansen in a 2005 interview with the Jewish Light.
Rachel Sanger
Over the years, Burn Camp has continued to grow. This year’s camp is the week of July 28th at Camp Taum Sauk in Lesterville, with many familiar faces still helping children.
Rachel Sanger was a camper at Camp Sabra in the early 2000s. As an 18-year-old counselor-in-training, she first learned that Burn Camp took place after Sabra’s campers went home.
“I heard about Burn Camp and how amazing it was. So, I called Linda and said, ‘Hey, can I come volunteer at camp?’ And she said, ‘No, not until you’re 21.’ And I said, ‘OK,’ but I called her after my 18th summer, my 19th summer, my 20th summer and finally, after my 21st summer, I started volunteering at camp. And now I’m 35 years old and haven’t missed a year.”
Sanger, who is a member of Koh Rinah, is now a trained nurse and serves as the medical director and volunteer liaison for Burns Recovered, the nonprofit organization overseeing the burn camp. Sanger has been integral in continuing the Hansen’s mission.
“As a Jew, I am proud to continue their legacy and support burn survivors through our programs,” said Sanger. She is grateful that her husband Bryan serves on the board of directors, further ensuring the camp’s ongoing success.
Supporting Burn Camp
Sanger has also made it her goal to help support the camp financially, something she also learned from Linda Hansen.
“Linda was so impactful in my life and getting me involved in camp. She taught me how passion leads to beautiful things such as camp and raising funds for burn survivors,” said Sanger. “In 2023 we set a goal to raise $70,000 to help send 70 campers to camp. I promoted this by committing to climb the vertical equivalence of Mount Everest in 36 hours – which I did!
She nearly doubled her goal, raising $135,000. This year Sanger is getting close to her goal, having raised more than $65,000. If you would like to help Sanger and support Burn Camp, visit this link.
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