Who?
Receiving
an honor usually firefighters
are granted, Sheila Prynkiewicz,
R.N., in the MUSC Pediatric
Emergency Department, was chosen
to go to the International
Association of Firefighters
(IAFF) Burn Foundation
International Burn Camp in
Washington, D.C. the week of
Sept. 24. Prynkiewicz, who puts
her heart and soul into her work
at MUSC, said the patients in
her department are motivating.
"These
children inspire me to be a
better version of myself,
especially after conversations
about their everyday life. They
constantly have to cope with
daily adversities such as people
staring at them in public,
surgeries, body image, school,
peer acceptance and dating."
Registered nurse
Sheila Prynkiewicz, right, and
Camp 'Can' Do camper Hannah
Patenaude in Washington, D.C.
What?
In
Washington, Prynkiewicz
represented MUSC Children's
Hospital and S.C. Firefighters'
Burned Children Fund's Camp
'Can' Do, an annual five-day
camp for children and teens who
have suffered a severe burn
injury. Each year, Jill Evans,
R.N., coordinator of Camp 'Can'
Do, nominates one counselor and
one camper to attend the IAFF
event. Pyrnkiewicz was the first
non-firefighter volunteer
chosen.
The IAFF
camp is an all-expense-paid
experience that incorporates
historical and cultural
activities in the Washington,
D.C. area. This year,
Prynkiewicz and Hannah
Patenaude, a camper from Mount
Pleasant, visited the Lincoln
Memorial and the Capitol
building, had lunch at the House
of Representatives and got VIP
treatment at a Washington
Nationals baseball game. They
also met with South Carolina
state representatives who lobby
for fire safety laws.
Most Memorable Experience
Prynkiewicz
said that her favorite moment at
the IAFF camp happened while
having lunch at the Naval
Academy. Prynkiewicz said that
when one of the Naval Academy
high-ranking officers welcomed
the campers to lunch, he told
them he knew he was surrounded
by the best of the best.
"He told
every camper that he would be
honored to have any of them
attend the Naval Academy. He
told them that if they were
interested in attending, then
they needed to see him after
lunch."
Lessons Learned
There are
many things from the IAFF camp
that Prynkiewicz plans to share
with the staff at Camp 'Can' Do.
She wants to incorporate most of
the songs and campfire
activities used by IAFF. She
also wants to hold similar peer
sessions as those she sat in on.
Prynkiewicz says that, ideally,
she wouldn't have to choose
which IAFF ideas to borrow.
"The IAFF
camp changes you. It makes you
want to take that entire
experience to the staff and
children at Camp 'Can' Do."
Why She was Chosen?
Evans, who
also is coordinator of Pediatric
Burn Services in the MUSC
Children's Hospital, said
Prynkiewicz was the obvious
choice for this honor.
"Over the
years, Sheila has brought her
fun- loving spirit and hard work
to Camp 'Can' Do, focusing on
making the experience a great
one for all the campers. We were
proud to have Sheila represent
us at the international camp."
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