Fundacion A-Mar Bara Ninos Quemados

Direct support to burned patients - The Organization provides medical evaluations in both Puerto Rico and the mainland United States, covering travel expenses and treatment costs for reconstructive procedures and surgeries when necessary. In late 2024, Fundación A-Mar completed the purchase of an Alpha CO2 Laser device to provide skin reconstruction treatments in Puerto Rico, aiming to improve hypertrophic scars and restore functionality. Additionally, the organization provides psychological support for burn survivors and their families, along with physical rehabilitation and essential outpatient medical supplies. These include compression garments, silicone therapy sheets, advanced wound dressings, customized splints, orthopedic braces, mobility aids, and climate-control equipment such as air conditioning units to assist with temperature regulation.

Research and Continuing Professional Education - A multidisciplinary group of volunteers-including medical students, pre-med students, healthcare professionals, and computer science students-participated in a research project to collect and analyze data on burn patients in Puerto Rico. As part of this effort, the Organization began developing a culturally adapted educational curriculum to train healthcare professionals (e.g., nurses, paramedics, first responders and physicians) in the comprehensive care of burn patients across different stages of treatment. In collaboration with the American Burn Association, Fundación A-MAR brought the Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) course to Puerto Rico for the first time in history, training and certifying local healthcare providers in the 24-hour emergency management of burn injuries, increasing the number of trained providers from 4 to 122. This continuing education certification, granted by the American Burn Association, now enables Puerto Rican physicians and healthcare professionals to earn formal credentials in burn care locally for the first time