Skip to contents
In This Issue:
Almost 30 years ago, George Pessotti suffered third degree burns over 90 percent of his body after a gas explosion in his home.
Since his treatment and recovery at BWH, he has devoted himself to ensuring that fellow burn survivors receive the emotional support they need to cope with the long-term effects of their injuries. This year, he is captain of the BWH team participating in the third annual New England Regional Walk for Burns Sept. 28.
“I walk to give thanks to the Brigham, which saved my life in 1979, even though my odds weren’t good,” said Pessotti, who spends a great deal of time volunteering to talk with burn patients at BWH. “And in the bigger picture, I walk to support all burn survivors.”
This walkathon benefits the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, a national nonprofit organization that provides peer support, education, collaboration and advocacy for burn survivors through a variety of programs, including Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery (SOAR). Pessotti is a volunteer with the BWH SOAR program, which pairs burn patients with survivors for emotional support.
Proceeds from the walkathon also go towards the Phoenix Society’s World Burn Congress, an annual international forum that unites burn survivors and the health professionals who care for them. “This year, several former BWH patients are attending the Congress with scholarships funded through the walk,” Pessotti said.
Bohdan Pomahac, MD, associate director of the BWH Burn Center, will walk with the BWH team for the third year in a row. “The funds we raise for the Phoenix Society benefit our patients and their family members, helping them to cope with physical and emotional struggles burn survivors face in the long term,” he said.
Seeing care providers like Pomahac take time out on a Sunday means the world to burn patients, Pessotti said. “It’s so beneficial for them to see caretakers’ commitment to the emotional side of healing outside of the hospital,” he said. “The emotional scars last forever.”
The BWH Burn Team’s goal is to raise $2,000 and recruit 15 to 20 walkers. The New England Regional Walk for Burns is Sept. 28, beginning at Artesani Park on Soldiers Field Road in Boston. If you are interested in joining the team, sponsoring a walker or making a donation, e-mail gepessotti@comcast.net