HOTLINE, Winter, 2009 
On behalf of Local 258 members, union President Michelle Laurie and Business Manager Doug McKay present the cheque to the VGH & UBC Hospital Endowment Fund to support Research in Wound Healing. From left to right are: Lois Budd, VGH Burn Unit Patient Services Manager; Michelle Laurie, Barb McInnis, Director, Major Gifts & Planned Giving, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation; Doug McKay; Dr. Aziz Ghahary, Director, BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn and Wound Healing Laboratory; Dr. Nicholas Carr, Head of the Division of Plastic Surgery; and, Dr. Anthony Papp, Medical Director, Burn, Plastic and Trauma Unit. The life of a burn survivor changes from one second to the next. Just like that. The journey for a patient from initial burn injury to burn survivor is a long and painful one. It is sustained by hope, conviction, unparalleled courage and the support of donors like Local 258 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. On October 16, union President Michelle Laurie and Business Manager Doug McKay presented Barb McInnis, Director, Major Gifts and Planned Giving of VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, with a generous $100,000 donation to the Chair in Burn and Wound Healing Research Endowment. This important contribution will help ensure that secure funds are available to retain scientific leadership so that the important discoveries made by BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn and Wound Healing Laboratory can be translated into treatments that benefit patients. During the event, Michelle and Doug heard from Dr. Nicholas Carr, Head of the Division of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Aziz Ghahary, Director, BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn and Wound Healing Laboratory and Dr. Anthony Papp, Medical Director, Burn, Plastic and Trauma Unit, about the transformational work they are doing as a result of Local 258’s generous contributions and how grateful they are to be the recipients of this support. The group also heard from Dr. Ghahary as he described the work he and his lab have been doing over the past few years. His ground breaking research has isolated a protein known as KDAF that turns off the healing efforts of skin cells, in effect, preventing heavy scarring. He and his research team are currently in the pre-clinical stages of developing an ointment that would deliver this protein to wounds at the critical moment in the healing process. Dr. Ghahary’s team is also developing an alternative to a skin graft: a new type of non-rejectable biological skin substitute that provides wound coverage and promotes healing. Confronting the challenges imposed by a lifetime of pain or disfigurement, as well as physical mobility issues, is just the beginning for most burn patients. During a tour of the unit led by Lois Budd, Patient Services Manager, Michelle and Doug learned about the journey of a burn survivor and how they must struggle to heal not only physically but also how to deal with the emotional and psychological trauma, which can be equally painful and daunting. Michelle and Doug were also able to view the recognition plaque that is mounted in the Unit that acknowledges Local 258’s support of the Chair in Burn and Wound Healing Research Endowment. Under Dr. Ghahary’s guidance, the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn and Wound Healing Research Laboratory team is poised to lead the world in burn and wound healing treatments. Thanks to the generous donation of $100,000 from Local 258 – IBEW, the Burn Unit’s doctors, nurses and researchers are able to ensure this work continues well into the future, making a difference in the lives of burn survivors across British Columbia. |
