Akron Children's Hospital Burn Center throws annual party for those who have been treated
Erik Hernaiz Jr. was waiting patiently in line for his chance to play a ball-toss game when he pushed up the sleeve of his green plaid shirt and proudly showed off the scar on his left arm.
"I was burned here, see, but it doesn't hurt anymore," the 6-year-old said matter-of-factly.
''Hot tea,'' he added.
Erik's mother, RaShanda, smiled with amazement at how easily her son spoke about his burns and that cup of hot tea he grabbed just before Christmas four years ago.
''We were putting up the tree, and I put my tea down to throw the tea bag away, and he reached up on his tiptoes and grabbed for the cup,'' the Youngstown mother recalled.
The child spent three weeks in the Burn Center at Akron Children's Hospital for injuries to his arm and face.
On Saturday, however, Erik's burns were of little concern to him, as there were games to play, clowns making balloon animals, presents, prizes, lots of food and a visit from Santa Claus.
It was the annual Christmas party for burn survivors who have been treated at Akron Children's Hospital, sponsored by Aluminum Cans for Burned Children.
This was no ordinary Santa, either. Santa himself bore the scars of his own burns, which he tells the children happened when he came down a chimney where a fire was still going.
Santa's alter ego, Springfield Township resident Jim Hipp, is an electrician who was burned when he was shocked while working in Augusta, Ga., in 1998.
Hipp, 54, has been playing Santa for the past four years and said he believes his own scars help to show children who have been burned that they aren't different - at least no different than Santa is.
''Sometimes they touch my face and ask what happened,'' he said. ''Sometimes they just shy away.''
Hipp said he was happy to volunteer for the annual event because of all of the hard work throughout the year by the Burn Center staff and local firefighters.
''I see how the nurses and doctors and firefighters give of their free time to make all of them happy, and I wanted to be a part of that,'' he said.
Supported by cans
Throughout the year, aluminum cans are brought to fire stations for recycling. The proceeds from are used to support burn-education programs, summer camp for children who have been burned and the annual Christmas party.
Mary Mondozzi, education coordinator for the Burn Center at Akron Children's Hospital, said each year new patients who have been treated at the center are invited to attend the annual party, along with past partygoers. This year's event was held at the St. Joseph Family Center on West Exchange Street.
There were presents for the children and door prizes for the adults. That included quilts created by Millie Thompson, 67, of Parma.
Thompson, her husband, daughter and two granddaughters were all burned in July 2001 at the Medina County Fairgrounds, when an antique tractor exploded, killing five people and injuring 48 others.
Thompson said she makes the quilts with others from her church, Living Word Lutheran Church in Medina. They originally were made as cancer-care quilts, to help keep cancer patients warm while they receive their treatments.
But Thompson said she thought they would be great for burn victims as well, and began donating them as door prizes for the party.
''They're nice and warm and cozy,'' she said.
By Lisa A. Abraham
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Sunday, Dec 09, 2007
Lisa A. Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.
