Fiona Wood Foundation

14/06/2026

As we come to the end of the second week of National Burns Awareness Month, we have been raising awareness of friction burns, prevention and correct burn first aid.

While knowing what to do after a burn injury is important, prevention remains our best defence.

That is why we created the Ben & Bella Burnsafe Superheroes Storybook and Teacher Guide Series.

Designed for early learning centres, schools and families, Ben and Bella help children learn about burn hazards, prevention and first aid through engaging stories and activities.

Because we believe that when children have the opportunity to learn about burn safety and first aid early, they carry that knowledge and those skills with them for life.

Explore the Ben & Bella Burnsafe Superheroes Series via our online shop: https://education.fionawoodfoundation.com/shop/

12/06/2026

This week, we shared that burn injuries often occur during leisure and recreational activities.

Today, we want to re-share Jack’s story 🧡

At just six years old, Jack was riding his motorbike around his backyard when he clipped a tree and fell. His foot became trapped beneath the rear tyre, causing a full-thickness friction burn.

For Jack and his family, recovery extended well beyond the initial injury, involving emergency treatment, surgery, skin grafting, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, compression garments and ongoing scar management.

Read the full story on our website here: https://www.fionawoodfoundation.org.au/what-we-do/our-stories/jack-s-story

11/06/2026

🏍️ Farm burn injuries do not only happen during farm work.

Research from Australia and New Zealand found that 72.5% of paediatric farm burns occurred during leisure activities.

Vehicles, including motorcycles and utes, as well as campfires, coals and burn-offs, were the main causes.

Only 56.9% of children with farm-related burns received gold-standard first aid, compared with 74.0% in non-farm settings.

In a state as vast as Western Australia, knowing the right first aid is especially important. Distance, time and access to care can all play a role in recovery.

If a burn occurs, cool the burn wound under cool running tap water for 20 minutes as soon as possible. Burn first aid can still be effective if applied within 3 hours of injury.



Source: Chua M, Teague WJ, Tracy LM. The Causes, Characteristics and Outcomes of Paediatric Farm Burns in Australia and New Zealand. Australian Journal of Rural Health. 2025.

11/06/2026

Earlier this week, Associate Professor Dale Edgar joined Kerry McBride Scott on Radio Fremantle 107.9fm to discuss the Ultralong Follow-up After Burn (ULFAB) study and why life years and decades after burn injury matter.

ULFAB invites adults who received burn care in Western Australia at any time since 1993 to share their experience through a short, confidential online survey.

Thank you to Kerry Scott and the Radio Fremantle team for helping bring this conversation to the community.

🎧 Listen to the interview: https://www.radiofremantle.com.au/shows/health-scene/

10/06/2026

🚲 When people think about cycling injuries, they often think about broken bones or head injuries.

But not every cycling injury involves a collision.

Friction burns can happen during everyday falls, sudden stops, or when a foot, leg or hand comes into contact with the bicycle.

For children and young people, these moments can happen quickly, especially while learning to ride, riding on uneven surfaces or losing balance. Adults are also at risk, whether commuting, exercising or riding recreationally.

If a friction burn occurs, cool the burn wound under cool running tap water for 20 minutes as soon as possible, but preferably within 3 hours of the injury.

Seek medical advice if the burn is deep, large, contains debris that cannot be gently washed away, shows signs of infection, or results from a high-speed fall.

09/06/2026

🛴 eScooters and eRideables are becoming increasingly popular across Western Australia.

Friction burns can occur when a rider falls or is involved in a collision, causing skin to come into contact with the road or path surface.

To help reduce the risk, remember the key eRideable safety rules:

🪖 Wear a helmet
👤 One person per device
📱 Keep your phone away while riding
🚶 Give way to pedestrians
🔦 Use lights and reflectors at night
🛴 Ride to the conditions and slow down in busy areas

In WA, eRideables are only for people aged 16 and over, and riders must follow the road rules.

A safer ride starts with safer choices.

With lots of new ways that people are getting around, this campaign...

08/06/2026

As part of National Burns Awareness Month, we are joining our prevention partners, Kidsafe Australia and ANZBA, to raise awareness of friction burns.

Friction burns occur when skin comes into contact with a hard or moving surface, causing damage through both friction and heat.

These injuries can happen during everyday activities involving:

🛴 eScooters and eRideables
🚲 Bicycles
🏍️ Motorcycles
🏃 Treadmills
🛹 Skateboards
⚙️ Moving machinery

Follow along our social media posts this week as we raise awareness of the common causes of friction burns, how to prevent them, and the first-aid steps to take if an injury occurs.

08/06/2026

🎙️ We are live in 15 minutes!

Associate Professor Dale Edgar from the Fiona Wood Foundation and the Burn Service of WA is joining Kerry Scott on Radio Fremantle 107.9FM at 11 today.

If you’ve received burn care in Western Australia since 1993, this conversation is for you.

📻 Tune in to Radio Fremantle 107.9FM at 11.15am.

Find out more about the study at www.fionawoodfoundation.org.au

07/06/2026

🎙️ Tune in today

At 11.15am, Associate Professor Dale Edgar from the Fiona Wood Foundation and the Burn Service of WA will join Kerry Scott on Radio Fremantle 107.9FM to discuss the Ultralong Follow-up After Burn (ULFAB) study.

The study is asking a simple but important question:

"What is life like for you now?"

If you've received burn care in Western Australia since 1993, whether as a child or an adult, researchers want to hear about your lived experience.

Dale will discuss why understanding life years and decades after burn injury matters, and how this research aims to improve future burn care and support.

📻 Listen live at 11.15am on Radio Fremantle 107.9fm

Learn more at www.fionawoodfoundation.org.au

07/06/2026

Val's story is proof that research changes lives.

After surviving burns to 85% of her body, Val has benefited from innovations that have transformed burn care and her quality of life.

But there is still more work to do.

Your support can help fund the next generation of burns research, bringing better treatments and recovery outcomes to people affected by burn injury.

Help us reach our vision of scarless healing by making a tax-free donation before June 30: https://www.fionawoodfoundation.org.au/donation