In this episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel talks with burn surgeon and researcher Dr. Cliff Sheckter about how to give survivors better tools and information when they are thinking about reconstructive scar surgery. 🩺

We discuss the Decision Aid for Reconstructive Scar Surgery, a new resource to help survivors decide if surgery is right for them. Dr. Sheckter explains why this tool was made, what questions it helps answer, and how it helps survivors think about both practical results and quality of life. ❓ We discuss why some survivors may feel let down even after a successful procedure and look at how expectations, identity, and healing are all closely linked.

Rachel and Dr. Sheckter also look at the bigger picture, including gaps in research about scar outcomes, how “quality of life” is measured in burn recovery, and what future studies may focus on. This episode offers practical and encouraging advice to help you make choices that feel right for you.  

#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories

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Meet Our Guest 

Dr. Cliff Sheckter is the Burn Center Director at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, which serves the San Francisco Bay Area in burn and trauma care. He is double board certified in plastic/reconstructive surgery and surgical critical care and dedicates his practice to burn patients and survivors. He completed his medical/surgical training at USC, Stanford, and the University of Washington. Dr. Sheckter is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Stanford University and teaches medical students and residents comprehensive burn care. He is also a health policy researcher and has published multiple articles related to burn survivor quality-of-life and health economics in burn care.

Links 

• Read Dr. Sheckter “Is Scar Surgery Right for Me? A New Tool Guides Decisions Around Reconstructive Scar Surgery for Burn Survivors:” https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/is-scar-surgery-right-for-me-a-new-tool-guides-decisions-around 
• Explore the American Burn Association's survivor support and aftercare resources: https://www.ameriburn.org/patients/burn-survivor-support-and-aftercare-resources 
• Learn more about Phoenix Society’s Virtual Support Group: https://www.phoenix-society.org/what-we-do/virtual-support-group
• Join Phoenix Society’s Facebook Group for survivors and caregivers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/phoenixsocietypeersupport 

Podcast Sponsor 

Today’s podcast is powered by AlloSource! AlloSource is one of the largest human tissue providers, honoring tissue donors by creating innovative skin allografts to help burn surgeons heal patients. Learn more about AlloSource and their continuing education hours by visiting their Resource Marketplace Listing directly on Phoenix Society’s website. 

Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at [email protected].