Children's Burn and Wound Care Fund
Tax deductible
Dear Friends.
I just came back from a trip to Norway where I witnessed my brother, Hans Petter Schjelderup, working with undying enthusiasm to prepare for the 2018 Walk and Run fundraiser taking place in our hometown Harstad. It's a yearly event he coordinates to raise funds for an organization named Children’s Burn and Wound Care Foundation. An organization he started with the doctor that saved my brothers life after a serious accident in 2005. A situation that turned out to be a life changer in may ways.
Some of you know about my brother's story and some of you don’t so here is the short version….
Thirteen years ago he was in a high voltage accident where 25.000 volts hit him and should have ended his life, but amazingly didn’t. He was flown to Haukeland Hospital in Bergen where they specialize in serious burn care and here Dr. Einar Eriksen saved his life. Paralyzed from the neck down and in a coma, his stay at the hospital was long and painful. But under the great care of Dr. Eriksen and his team and Hans Petter’s positive outlook on life, he returned to his old self again. He ended up loosing his left arm and most of his leg muscles, now using a prosthetic arm and walking with the help of crutches.
During his recovery Hans Petter and Dr. Eriksen became close friends realizing they had something in common. Dr. Eriksen had spent much of his life and career in Ethiopia. Working as a plastic surgeon treating children with serious burns. My brother had, two years before the accident, adopted a little boy from Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, where most of the cooking is done over open fire or small propane burners. This along with burning garbage in the fields, increases the risks for severe burn accidents, most often involving women and young children. When these burns are not treated properly the scar tissue contracts forming debilitating deformities. Knowing that there was little or no possibility for modern burn care in most of the country it was Dr. Eriksen's great wish to work in Ethiopia full time. Hans Petter’s response to this (while still in recovery and not walking yet) was: "We are going to have to do something about that”. And so a seed was planted for the start of Children’s Burn and Wound Care Foundation.
Dr. Eriksen is now in Ethiopia full-time. With the money raised during last years Walk and Run event, the foundation was able to operate and rehabilitate 354 children…and reaching several thousand children since the beginning of their partnership. They now also have ambulatory services and can provide help in 5 other African countries, and have started an educational program where students earn college credits in nursing, also training other medical personnel in Ethiopia.
It is so out of my comfort zone to do this, asking for money, and I also realize everyone has their favorite charities to give to, so please accept my appreciation in advance for any help you can give to this cause. One thousand US dollars will pay to run a hospital bed in Ethiopia for a year.
I have created a GoFundMe page to make it easy. Your donations will go through The Entoto Foundation, San Diego, CA., which supports Dr. Einar Eriksen’s work. This is a 501(c)3 foundation so all contributions will be tax deductible and your receipt will come from them. The Entoto Foundation is an all-volunteer organization and does not have any significant operating expenses. Nearly 100% of each donation will go to help Ethiopians in need of medical care.
I have also added a link for Children’s Burn and Wound Care Facebook page and also my brother’s.
https://www.facebook.com/Childrensburncare/
https://www.facebook.com/hanspetter.schjelderup
With much appreciation and love,
Hilde Azarian
I just came back from a trip to Norway where I witnessed my brother, Hans Petter Schjelderup, working with undying enthusiasm to prepare for the 2018 Walk and Run fundraiser taking place in our hometown Harstad. It's a yearly event he coordinates to raise funds for an organization named Children’s Burn and Wound Care Foundation. An organization he started with the doctor that saved my brothers life after a serious accident in 2005. A situation that turned out to be a life changer in may ways.
Some of you know about my brother's story and some of you don’t so here is the short version….
Thirteen years ago he was in a high voltage accident where 25.000 volts hit him and should have ended his life, but amazingly didn’t. He was flown to Haukeland Hospital in Bergen where they specialize in serious burn care and here Dr. Einar Eriksen saved his life. Paralyzed from the neck down and in a coma, his stay at the hospital was long and painful. But under the great care of Dr. Eriksen and his team and Hans Petter’s positive outlook on life, he returned to his old self again. He ended up loosing his left arm and most of his leg muscles, now using a prosthetic arm and walking with the help of crutches.
During his recovery Hans Petter and Dr. Eriksen became close friends realizing they had something in common. Dr. Eriksen had spent much of his life and career in Ethiopia. Working as a plastic surgeon treating children with serious burns. My brother had, two years before the accident, adopted a little boy from Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, where most of the cooking is done over open fire or small propane burners. This along with burning garbage in the fields, increases the risks for severe burn accidents, most often involving women and young children. When these burns are not treated properly the scar tissue contracts forming debilitating deformities. Knowing that there was little or no possibility for modern burn care in most of the country it was Dr. Eriksen's great wish to work in Ethiopia full time. Hans Petter’s response to this (while still in recovery and not walking yet) was: "We are going to have to do something about that”. And so a seed was planted for the start of Children’s Burn and Wound Care Foundation.
Dr. Eriksen is now in Ethiopia full-time. With the money raised during last years Walk and Run event, the foundation was able to operate and rehabilitate 354 children…and reaching several thousand children since the beginning of their partnership. They now also have ambulatory services and can provide help in 5 other African countries, and have started an educational program where students earn college credits in nursing, also training other medical personnel in Ethiopia.
It is so out of my comfort zone to do this, asking for money, and I also realize everyone has their favorite charities to give to, so please accept my appreciation in advance for any help you can give to this cause. One thousand US dollars will pay to run a hospital bed in Ethiopia for a year.
I have created a GoFundMe page to make it easy. Your donations will go through The Entoto Foundation, San Diego, CA., which supports Dr. Einar Eriksen’s work. This is a 501(c)3 foundation so all contributions will be tax deductible and your receipt will come from them. The Entoto Foundation is an all-volunteer organization and does not have any significant operating expenses. Nearly 100% of each donation will go to help Ethiopians in need of medical care.
I have also added a link for Children’s Burn and Wound Care Facebook page and also my brother’s.
https://www.facebook.com/Childrensburncare/
https://www.facebook.com/hanspetter.schjelderup
With much appreciation and love,
Hilde Azarian
Organizer
Hilde Azarian
Organizer
Easton, CT
Entoto Foundation
Beneficiary