As a mother to a burns survivor, I am delighted to see significant funding being dedicated to research into scar prevention. I am also proud to provide support and advice to the Foundation, as a patient representative I understand the problems of burns scars and the areas that crucially need more research. As a senior scientist working on disorders of the brain I also take a deep interest in the vital psychological research the Foundation are carrying out on scarring.
We live in a world obsessed by perfection and body image, yet the cosmetic aspects, and the fact that my daughter will soon be a teenager, are not my main concern. Scars don’t grow the same way that healthy skin does – this makes walking and running painful and Delilah’s hands don’t function in the same way. She has had to endure countless operations to try to gain normal function, which is simply heart-breaking to have to stand back and watch. I am so proud of Delilah, her strength and her positivity shines through, and has done every day since accident and her two months in intensive care.
The work The Scar Free Foundation is funding is pioneering and, with further funding, has the potential to transform the lives of the many people affected by scarring – in the UK and worldwide.