Nipu, Camp Karma

As an infant, Nipu was injured by a pot of boiling water that fell from the edge of the stove. This left second and third degree burns all over his arms and torso that only become more taught and painful as he grows. While burn scars carry a sense of stigma in all cultures, something that is unique to India is that this stigma often extends past those who are suffering the scars into the rest of the family. This often translates into a growing sense of isolation even within the family unit. This also manifests as a fear of doctors and an avoidance of receiving consecutive treatments for burn scars because of the scarcity of proper health care facilities in rural areas. Because of specialized pediatric burn camps like Camp Karma, these children have the opportunity to shed the stigma of burn scars by being with other children who have suffered in the same way. By coming to Camp Karma, Nipu was not only able to overcome his fear of being ostracized because of his injuries, he was also able to conquer his fear of doctors and resume his treatments. Not only was he able to enjoy our rehabilitation programs like dance lessons and other team building activities with his fellow pediatric survivors, he was also able to share these experiences with our team of doctors and surgeons. By partaking in these programs with the very same doctors he had long been terrified of, he was able to confront his fears and begin a new life without the shame of scarring and fear of receiving treatment. With our holistic approach to healing, we are able to tend to the physical and emotional scars that come from burns. Our lasers heal the scars, our burn camps restore the spirit. Now, Nipu works with local hospitals to teach burn prevention and shares his story to help other children shed the same sense of dread and isolation that he had once felt. We are able to bring children like Nipu on the journey to healing with every laser treatment and camp session. It is our greatest hope that we can bring Camp Karma, the only pediatric burn camp in Southeast Asia, back to full capacity after being shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.