Burn Foundation was founded in 1973 when Crozer Chester Medical Center and St. Agnes Medical Center established departments for the specialized treatment of burns. The foundation assisted these hospitals in coordinating their capital campaigns, establishing common emergency care and patient transfer protocols, and by distribution of a newsletter to publicize the new burn centers.

Since that time the needs for this special care has grown. There are now four (4) regional burn centers serving the needs of the Greater Philadelphia area, including Southeast Pennsylvania, Southern NJ and the State of Delaware at Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pa., St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and Temple University Health System in North Philadelphia, and the recently established Burn Center at Jefferson University Hospital in center city Philadelphia. The Burn Foundation continues to partner with these important institutions through various support programs, including continuing education scholarships for medical staff to allow them to keep up with innovations and changes in burn care, techniques and equipment. We also provide support through grants for specific programs for patients and their families, thanks to the generous support of our benefactors.

Since their founding, the regional burn centers have treated tens of thousands of patients. Skilled professionals are the heart of burn center care. Led by specially trained surgeons, multi-disciplinary teams begin planning for the long-term treatment and recovery of patients as soon as they are admitted. Team members focus on the patients’ quickest possible return to their family, school and/or job.

With this medical effort at its core, the burn centers and their community supporters have come together as the Burn Foundation, the nation’s most comprehensive regional response system for burn injuries. The Foundation’s mission embraces patient care, burn medical education, injury prevention initiatives and community burn awareness programs, A three-state network of volunteer organizations, corporate philanthropy and government grants provide resources to maintain the Burn Foundation efforts, in past years up to the present.

While much has been accomplished since 1973, the challenge of burn injuries and their prevention requires unprecedented community support and involvement, the Burn Foundation will continue to look to its friends for help in meeting these challenges. Won’t you join us in our essential mission of burn education, prevention, treatment and recovery?