Dear Friends and Family,

2018 was a year filled with great challenge, but also one of real growth and development. Mother Nature tried us in many ways and we were faced with adversity, yet we found ourselves reaching out into the community and helping family and friends... Rebuilding makes us stronger!

The Grossman Burn Foundation (GBF) renews its commitment to serving burn survivors, their families and to all those who are in need of support. More than ever, GBF is bound to execute its mission in providing comprehensive medical treatment, care, and support to the burn survivor community and beyond.

GBF is looking forward to expanding its programs and enjoying the annual burn survivor events in 2019!
* * Fire Prevention and Education remains a priority **

~ The Future of Senior Burn Prevention and Education ~

The Grossman Burn Foundation (GBF) continues on its path in providing Burn Prevention Education to the Senior and/or disabled community, who statistically are at the highest risk for fire-related burns, scalds, and complications.

This year, GBF will be increasing its number of workshops and educational platforms and offer informative materials not only throughout Los Angeles County, but further reaching into Ventura County.

The GBF continues on this path to educate and empower senior citizens and its healthcare providers with a 45-minute workshop on location, free of charge, providing helpful instruction to prevent burns, scalds and possible complications; creating more awareness and insight. Free take-home literature will be provided including the "do's and don'ts," first aid tips and take-home fire prevention tools. All workshops are followed by an inter-active Q and A session with our educators.

The Senior Burn Prevention and Education program and its expansion is made possible by Edison International. The Grossman Burn Foundation extends its gratitude to Edison International for their generous contribution and support of the Senior Burn Prevention and Education program.

For more information on this program OR how to schedule a workshop in your area, please visit: http://grossmanburnfoundation.com/senior/
~ National Burn Awareness Week: February 3-9, 2019 ~
For more Burn Awareness Week information and materials, please visit http://ameriburn.org/prevention/burn-awareness-week/
~ Join Us in Welcoming Kechi Okwuchi ~

We warmly welcome burn survivor, singer, and motivational speaker Kechi Okwuchi to the Grossman Burn Foundation family!

You may know Kechi from her appearance on America's Got Talent as a contestant in 2017, where her gift of the voice dazzled us all, ultimately landing her as a finalist in season 12!

Kechi inspires those around her with her incredible spirit and beautiful voice. After surviving the Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 crash in 2005 while traveling with her school in her native Nigeria; then, sixteen-year-old Kechi sustained third degree burns on over 65% of her body. She has shown incredible strength and courage since then... on her journey to recover and undergoing more than 100 surgeries to reconstruct her burn injuries.

Kechi's story doesn't stop there... She graduated Sum Cum Laude from the University of St. Thomas in 2015 and is continuing with her studies working toward her MBA in Economics and, naturally, pursuing her passion for music.

She's also a motivational speaker, delivering Tedx talks and sharing her story with many and also some of her her mantras like "Your scars do not define you"... "know yourself and know your vision"... "it's your passions that give rise to the vision you have in your life"... She is truly an inspiration and wise beyond her years!

Her singing career is also taking off! After impressing judges during her run on the twelfth season of America's Got Talent, Simon Cowell invited Kechi back for the upcoming season of "The Champions", recently launched (aired on January 7th).

Kechi's recovery continues even today. The Grossman Burn Foundation, under its Project Faith Program, arranged for another major surgery with Dr. Peter Grossman, who has performed a series of surgeries on Kechi in the past, and welcomed her back this month to perform another procedure which she has bravely fronted.

Join us in giving support and well wishes to Kechi, while she remains in California for the duration of her treatments and recovery at the Grossman Burn Foundation patient/care facility in West Hills.

From all of us at the Grossman Burn Foundation, we wish Kechi Okwuchi a wonderful 2019! Go Kechi, go!
 Upcoming Events:

~Annual Winter Retreat~
The New Year brings in special events for GBF's community of burn survivors and their families and friends.

Every year the Grossman Burn Foundation partners with the Fire Fighters Quest in sponsoring its Winter Retreat at Lions Camp Wrightwood and Mountain High Resort.

This year we have an added sponsor through the SoCal Burn Ride who will assume a big portion of the sponsorship. Thank you SoCal Burn Riders for all that you do!

Taking place February 1 - 3rd this year, the upcoming retreat provides an opportunity for burn survivors and their families to come together again in a wonderful environment to have fun skiing and snowboarding, but also sharing and reflecting on their road to recovery. They will unite for therapeutic activities, share experiences and enjoy the beautiful mountains of California.

Last year's Winter Retreat was at an all-time high in attendance with great success amongst attendees who joined together for a few days on the slopes and evenings of team-building activities, guided by emotional support professionals. The retreat provided a space for many of our burn survivors to share their personal journey and connect with other survivors on the same path.

The Grossman Burn Foundation is excited this Annual Winter Retreat 2019 will be the best one yet!
~ GBF Looking Ahead ~

We're launching 2019 with exuberance and optimism...

The Grossman Burn Foundation is committed to maximizing its mission in providing comprehensive medical treatment, care, and support to its burn survivors, families, friends and the community. With your support, we can move mountains!

**Click on your favorite program and find out what we're doing...


Each year brings the opportunity to touch more lives... 
Programs are made possible by people like you in the community and through strategic partners working with the Grossman Burn Foundation.


Here's How to Donate:
Sincerely,

 The Grossman Burn Foundation
For more information, please visit http://grossmanburnfoundation.com/

The Grossman Burn Foundation
23769 Calabasas Rd., #270, Calabasas, CA, 91302-1182