Helping Burn Survivors Begin the Healing Process
The University of Utah Health Burn Camp Program was established in 1993 to help support burn survivors with the personal challenges associated with surviving a burn injury. We currently run five different programs geared toward specific age groups, providing a safe and supportive atmosphere for everyone involved.
To create a fun environment conducive to healing, each of our programs uses:
- self-esteem building,
- teamwork, and
- peer interaction.
Our camps provide the tools needed to not only survive your injury, but to also thrive in your recovery.
Burn camp is a wonderful way to begin the healing process. Burn camp staff are made up of professional nurses, firefighters, physical therapists, and volunteers. In addition, all have participated in a national camp training program and complete mandatory yearly background checks. The safety of your child is our number one priority.
The decision to send your child to camp at a young age can be very overwhelming. We specialize in taking the time needed to make the camp experience an enriching one, catering to the needs of each survivor.
Camp Dates
- Young Adult Program (ages 18–25): January 4–7, 2024 (applications open Oct 25, 2023)
- Adolescent River Trip (ages 14–17): June 3–8, 2024 (applications open January 5, 2024)
- Pre-School Camp (ages 4–5): June 19th, 2024
- Camp Nah Nah Mah (ages 6–13): July 27–31, 2024 (applications open January 5, 2024)
- Full time counselors and leadership team members will need to arrive July 26, 2024 at 5pm.
*Must use updated browser, such as Chrome, to access application
New in 2023
Aftercare Programs for Burn Survivors
- Archery Clinics (ages 10 through adult)
- Climbing Clinics (ages 10 through adult for survivors and one family member)
2023/2024 Dates:
Archery Clinic: Thursdays November 30-Dec 14
Climbing Clinic: Thursdays February 15-March 21
Please email Warren.bailey@utah.edu to register and ask about specific times and locations
Notice Regarding COVID-19
The University of Utah Health Burn Camp Programs will be responding to the recommendations of the University of Utah, the Utah Health Department, and the CDC regarding COVID-19 safety precautions. As in 2020, in-person camp is completely dependent upon keeping the health and safety of all participants in mind.
If camp, once again, cannot be held in person, we will offer a virtual option, or we will make adjustments to the program to meet the safety standards/recommendations that are set.
Patient Experiences at Burn Camp
Camps for All Ages
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gets to go to camp?
All burn survivors ages four through adult can apply to attend our age-specific programming. Due to environmental rules we are only able to accept 17 survivors on the adolescent river trip. Applications are accepted to attend camp based on assessment of the camper as a burn survivor.
Camp Nah Nah Mah, ages 6-12, still requires an application but we are not as limited to space, and the type of programming offered allows for burn survivors that may be well adjusted to their burn injury to be part of our programming. Our program goals are to provide a trip that builds self-esteem, teamwork, and personal goal achievement.
I am not sure if my child should attend this trip because their burns are not as severe as others.
Burn survivors all differ in their abilities to manage the stress of a burn injury. The size of the survivors injury does not correlate to the amount of stress they may feel during the re-integration phase after discharge. Does your child wear a swimsuit in public areas? Does your child have trouble talking about their burn injury with others? Has your child been teased about their burn scars? These and many other challenges can arise for the adolescents after burn injury.
Not all burn survivors need camp, but many survivors do and don’t ask for help. Please be specific with your application information as it does help us to have a better understanding of how to best build a program that is personal to each survivor.
I am concerned about my child’s safety.
Safety is our number one priority! We have maintained a spotless safety record for over 23 years of programming. Bumps and bruises are part of the camp environment however, and we staff a fully burn trained medical staff for each of our programs. Minor dressing changes, physical therapy, and medication management are part of our daily programming at each camp.
Each of our age-specific programs contain some level of adventure sports, and they do have risks associated with them. To maintain a high level of safety, we hire a professional company with over 30 years expertise to guide our group river trips. All attendees are provided education about safety, and water program attendees must wear a PFD (life jacket) for all water activities. In addition to river safety all camp staff complete staff training from ExpertOnlineTraining.com and background checks prior to each trip.
We live in another state, but want our child to attend camp. How does that work?
We have many campers that travel from different states every year. We are able to pay for flights and arrange transportation needs. We have a nice system set up for camper pick up and drop off at the airport with complete supervision. If you feel your child needs this trip, please don’t let the distance make the decision for your family. Call us for a more detailed discussions.
How can I donate?
Please visit the giving site to make a donation.
Burn Camp in the News
- Burn Survivors Go to Camp Nah Nah Mah, Where They Can Just Be a Kid
- Burn Camp Helps Survivors Both Physically and Emotionally (KSL TV)
- Burn Camp (Fox 13)
- Camp Creates Fun for Burn Victims (Deseret News)
- True Survivors (3mb PDF download)
- Holiday Expeditions Blog
- Burn Camp helps young victims gain self-esteem, confidence
Verified Burn Center Experts
Why does it matter that we are a verified burn center? The American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons designed a rigorous review program that ensures verified centers offer the best care for their patients. This includes the whole patient experience from the time of injury through rehabilitation.
It also means we meet the highest quality of care available because we meet these high quality standards. The standards are for personnel qualifications, facilities resources, organizational structure, and medical care services.
