DISASTER TO RECOVERY: RAVID AND SHEBA’S BURN CENTER

January 24, 2023

Burns are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children and are, in fact, most common among children aged 0-4. Sadly, this is also the story of 17-year-old Ravid Sulam, who suffered severe burns when she was only two and a half years old.

Ravid was in her father’s arms during a family barbecue as he stood in front of the grill. Suddenly, it exploded, leaving her with burns on over 95% of her body.

“Nobody wants to treat burns,” says Prof. Josef Haik, Director of the National Burn Center at Sheba, who has been treating burn patients for the last 28 years. “It’s exhausting, complicated work, but someone has to do it. Personally, I find fulfillment in saving lives and seeing patients who endured severe burns rehabilitate.”

Having undergone several surgeries and an extensive rehabilitation process following her admission to Sheba, Ravid was, thankfully, able to recover from the terrible incident. Fourteen years later, she is still in contact with the medical staff who saved her life. “I have seen Prof. Haik almost every three weeks since I was little.” Now 17 years old, Ravid says she lives “like a regular teenager,” attends fitness classes twice a week, holds a steady job, and maintains a popular TikTok account. “I think I am a positive person. I am thankful for not only the doctors but also the nurses and everyone who was around. They have become like a family.”

THE SHEBA NATIONAL BURN CENTER:

Sheba’s Burn Center was founded in 1973 during the Yom Kippur war, answering an urgent national need for expert burn care in support of injured soldiers. Today, it is recognized as Israel’s National Burn Center.
Among children and adolescents, burns are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. With thousands of children treated for burn injuries each year, Sheba plans to expand its burn center to accommodate the unique clinical needs of children.

“We are still fighting for a pediatric national burn center here at Sheba, since children account for 50% of all burn injuries in Israel. Today, they still don’t have a real place to stay. We admit around 150 kids a year when we’re only supposed to admit 60,” explains Prof. Haik.

As Israel’s leading medical center, as well as the national referral unit for burn treatment, Sheba is committed to providing the highest quality care to burn victims of all ages.

Established and operated thanks to the generosity of Sheba’s supporters, Sheba’s burn center is now seeking support to fulfill this crucial mission and offer young burn victims like Ravid the specialized care they need.

Published January 19, 2023, Sheba Global Latest News