Free Family Day at Brookfield Zoo for Young Burn Survivors

Source: Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.

On Saturday, Sept. 12, the nonprofit Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) is hosting its inaugural Family Day event for young burn survivors and their immediate families at Brookfield Zoo.

The goal of the event is to create an environment of mutual acceptance, respect, and support, while participating in family-friendly events and activities.

It is provided at no cost to Illinois families with children between the ages of infancy and 12 years old who have been adversely affected by a burn injury. The five-hour program, which will be held from noon to 5 p.m., includes educational presentations, lunch, and games.

Participants will also receive T-shirts and goodie bags. Burn unit nurses from University of Chicago Medical Center and Loyola University Medical Center will present on the coping process with a burn injury, while fire service personnel will discuss fire safety and prevention. Other points of discussion will include information about the IFSA and its burn survivor support services.

“This new event allows us to reach out to families of young burn survivors and provide them with educational information regarding burns and the effects they may have on children,” says Philip Zaleski, Executive Director of the IFSA. “But more importantly, it offers parents and children the opportunity to network by sharing stories, suggestions, and ideas amongst one another and to enjoy various activities in a fun atmosphere.”

According to Zaleski, the new Family Day event fills an important gap in IFSA’s programming; it is the organization’s first outreach program for burn-injured children under the age of eight years old.

The IFSA also hosts two other free programs for burn-injured individuals, Camp “I Am Me” and a Young Adult Summit. The weeklong burn camp, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in June, is open to children eight to 16 years old, while the Young Adult Summit is a three-day weekend retreat for individuals aged 18 to 25.

“We are proud to continue developing valuable support programs, such as Family Day, for burn survivors in Illinois, in addition to offering burn prevention education materials to the general public,” adds Zaleski.