Shriners Children's Boston Patients Thrive as Members of Team Brave

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Rebecca Wildes, Lead Child Life Specialist, Shriners Children's Boston: Team Brave got started in 2014 with Shriners Children’s Boston and the Boston Firefighters Burn Foundation. So they fully fund a generous grant that allows us take patients out into the community in Boston once a month. It is really unique that we are able to offer patients and families this opportunity.

Dennis Costin, Boston Firefighters Burn Foundation: I’ve been part of the Burn Foundation for about 20 years. Work with different staff members at Shriners always saying what can benefit the children.

Rebecca: Our Boston Firefighter volunteers empower our patients to build meaningful relationships with peers and conquer their fears whether it is climbing a rock wall or going into a public place for the first time.

Dennis: You reach out and call the firefighters you know, get some volunteers and we only try to have no more than one firefighter per child. We don't want to overwhelm them.

Rebecca: To see the patients interact with peers so they also get to meet other burns survivors who maybe they would not have met otherwise and some of our patients still remain in contact with each other years later after meeting on Team Brave.

Jose, Patient at Shriners Children's Boston: I like to come out, I like to be with my friends. Get out. It distracts me from the surgeries and everything else I have going on.

Edwin, Patient at Shriners Children's Boston: I like to get out because I am able to get out of the hospital, get out of the house. I am not able to do that normally so it’s a different thing for me.

Rebecca: My favorite part of Team Brave is coming back from the outing. The kids are so excited on the shuttle and they get off and they run to their caregivers. Many of our patients have been through incredibly difficult injuries or hospitalizations and some patients have not left their caregivers for months at a time. I am inspired by Team Brave because I am able to see firsthand the true resiliency in these burn survivors.

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