Each year over 250,000 people in the UK suffer a burn. The physical and psychological effects of scarring can be devastating, particularly for children who make up a majority of burn victims.
Why burn and scar research?
There is currently no way of preventing scarring or successfully treating burns through medication. Restore’s funding of cutting-edge burn and scar research hopes to change this and help millions of people in the process.
Restore funds work to advance the quality of burn care in both academic and clinical environments and in doing so is increasing understanding of how the body reacts to a burn and why scarring takes place.
— Lord Calum Graham
What do we do?
FUND medical research, as advised by an independent committee of scientists and clinicians
SUPPORT a Fellows programme for those undertaking cutting edge research
ENGAGE with businesses and schools, as well as related services like the fire brigade
COLLABORATE with other charities that have like-minded interests and mutual causes
INFORM the public, the NHS, and scientific community about our new medical knowledge
Who do we aim to help?
The children and elderly who are the most frequent victims of burns and subsequent scars.
The armed forces who suffer chemical and other wounds in conflict.
People of all ages who sadly suffer a bad burn or wound that leaves them disfigured as a result.
All burns patients who need their emotional well-being restored
Our Founder
Anthony Roberts was a consultant burns surgeon in 1991 when the Stoke Mandeville Burns and Reconstructive Surgery Research Trust was established as a charity, out of the Department of Burns and Reconstructive Surgery. The unit has a proud heritage. It was one of the formative units of British burns surgery under the celebrated lead of Thomas Pomfret Kilner, pioneering the treatment of burns from the time of World War 2.
The History of Restore
The main focus at the time of inception was the same as today: the relationship between thermal injury and scarring with an emphasis on human clinical studies. HRH The Duke of Kent accepted the role of Patron. Extensive fundraising efforts and prudent planning established a financial reserve that permitted the appointment of dedicated Research Fellows. These full time posts, which remain to this day, are competitively applied for by trainee surgeons in the field of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, senior medical students or clinical scientists with a particular interest in burns, wound healing and scarring.
Why burns research?
Burns and scarring is a relatively neglected area of medical research. However it has recently enjoyed an upsurge in interest from both the profession and the general public. There is little government or NHS funding into burns and yet patient treatment is costly.
This has been linked to appearance research with an emphasis on helping patients recover from the trauma of disfigurement and coping with the physiological as well as psycho-social effects.
Restore funds work to advance the quality of burn care in both academic and clinical environments : by increasing understanding of how the body reacts to a burn and why scarring takes place.
So our focus is on finding solutions to stop scarring and help people- both the very young and elderly who are especially vulnerable-recover.
AMRC Position Statement
Restore Burn and Wound Research is a member of The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC). All AMRC members support the AMRC position statement on the use of animals in research.
