Supporting Anna from the Philippines, who suffered burn injuries, during her treatment stay in Munich

Shortly after her eighth birthday, Anna suffered a devastating accident: while being refilled, a traditional Filipino candle first ignited her hair, then her birthday dress. The nylon fabric was instantly engulfed in flames; the dress couldn't be removed quickly, and it took a long time—far too long—before her mother could extinguish the burning child. Anna's burns to her torso, arms, and head were correspondingly catastrophic.

She had to be driven for many hours from her village to the nearest hospital, which was at least somewhat equipped for such treatment. There, Anna lay and suffered for two months as an inpatient. When her family could no longer afford the treatment, she was sent home. Although she was occasionally able to receive outpatient examinations in her village, she has not received inpatient treatment, let alone surgery to alleviate her injuries, since then. For all these years, her mother treated the burns with herbs, as the family could not afford medication, and repeatedly submitted unsuccessful applications to the government for support for plastic surgery. Anna is now 27.

Her severe burns resulted in disfigurement and contractures; since her accident, Anna has been unable to properly move one arm or straighten it at all (making her dream of becoming a nurse impossible). Her scarred chest was disfiguring and caused breathing difficulties. The visible scars on her face led to social isolation and severe psychological problems.

The team from the Center for Severely Burned Children at Schwabing Hospital (Dr. Carsten Krohn) and the Center for Severely Burned Children at Bogenhausen Hospital (Prof. Dr. Milomir Ninkovic) operated on and treated Anna in cooperation with the VFBB (Association for the Promotion of the Treatment of Burn Injuries) in Munich, giving her everything that can be achieved in terms of plastic corrections, skin grafts and functional improvements according to the current state of burn medicine.

The Florian Lex Foundation supported Anna's travel, stay, and treatment with financial and material resources. For the first four months, Anna lived with us privately and we provided her with everything she needed for the cold Central European climate. Thanks to the generous support of the Meyn physiotherapy practice, she was able to receive crucial physiotherapy after her surgeries, which, among other things, normalized the previously limited flexion angle of her left arm. With the help of the foundation's funds and our personal support, we did everything we could to stabilize Anna both physically and mentally and to help her return to a normal life.

After her treatment, Anna worked as an au pair in Munich for a year and then completed a voluntary social year with Caritas. She has since secured a nursing apprenticeship with Caritas, lives in her own apartment, and aims to work in nursing after completing her training. She is currently completing the practical part of her apprenticeship at the Bogenhausen Clinic (!) and passed her probationary period with top marks. We are proud of Anna.