General News
10 July, 2026
Resident raises awareness
While June marks National Burns Awareness Month each year, Bealiba resident Sue Smith continues her advocacy in raising burns awareness.
Since The Advertiser spoke to Mrs Smith in 2024, the burns survivor of 60 years has gone on to attend conferences as a speaker and delegate, partnering with organisations to prevent others from going through the same thing.
“I’m a burns survivor. I was burnt when my dressing gown caught on fire when I was about three years old. It was just an accident, but many years ago they put butter on people and unfortunately that is what happened to me,” she said.
It has been through her work with Australia and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA) that Mrs Smith was recently invited to share her story with healthcare professionals in a seminar series, championing ‘toolkits’ to support survivors returning from hospital.
“The ANZBA chair encourages us to step out, so I contacted an Australian healthcare organisation asking if they had tool kits for survivors. They said they didn’t, so they invited me to speak and share my lived experience,” she said.
This saw her travel with other guest speakers to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in March this year.
“It was an amazing experience. Out of 350 delegates, if they go back and help two burns survivors, that means 700 have been helped. I feel very privileged to be asked to speak. But, it’s not about me, it’s about helping others who have been burnt,” she said.
“I have been invited to a burns conference in Brisbane later this year which is really good, it’s the second time we have been invited, last October we went to one and got to share a bit of our lived experience. So we tag teamed and spoke at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre too.”
Mrs Smith is now also part of a stakeholder advisory group working alongside the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), who are currently studying the impact of burns.
“All those years ago, they didn’t have those resources they have now, so this is the reason I do it,” she said.
However, much of these advances are made possible by input from survivors from a range of demographics, and healthcare professionals are looking for more.
To support their findings, they still need to hear experiences from young people, male burn survivors, survivors over age 65, those in rural and regional areas, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and clinicians.
“What they are asking is for experience from these demographics,” Mrs Smith said.
“These are the groups they haven’t been able to reach.”
Mrs Smith asks that those who fit into these demographics and are willing to assist contact her on
0419 179 467.
Closer to home, with support from Bealiba Fire Brigade Community Safety Officer Daena Berry, she and Mrs Smith want to ensure the community is aware of both treatment and prevention.
“We are urging people to be wise and safe around fires, fire pits, ensuring smoke detectors are working, children are supervised around heaters and boiling water and they all know the correct first aid,” Mrs Smith said.
As per the ANZBA website, they advise the following:
Prevent: Prevent the risk of burns by identifying hazards.
Remove: Removing the heat source.
Cool: Place the burn under cool, gently water for 20 minutes.
Cover: Cover the burn loosely with a clean, non stick dressing.
Seek: Seek medical attention.
“Even though it’s July and June is National Burns Awareness month, the message is still the same,” Mrs Smith said.