In the months after the house fire, four-year-old Brandon Laxa would be reluctant to talk about the incident or about the burns that crawled up his right and left forearms.
Instead, teachers recommended art therapy.
I dont think he can remember doing them now, said his mother Theresa Laxa, turning to her 13-year-old son. They were mostly drawings of burning buildings or of princesses being saved.
It wasnt until after his first trip to Burn Camp funded by the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund at the age of six that Brandon started opening up.
At camp, burn survivors from across B.C., ages six to 18, get away for a week and participate in activities such as swimming, kayaking, skit night and arts and crafts.
Last Sunday morning, the campers enjoyed the usual pancake breakfast send-off before heading to Camp Latona on Gambier Island until Friday afternoon.
We dont talk about burns at camp, except maybe for a few times at night, said Brandon when he talked to the News last Friday. Were not there to wallow. We can forget about everything and just have fun.
He was mostly looking forward to trading the years stories with the friends hes been spending the week with for the past seven years.
We dont really see each other much during the year, said Brandon, who just finished Grade 8 at McRoberts secondary. So Im excited to see them. Its pretty much the same group, but there are new kids every year.
Since 1994, close to 800 children have attended Burn Camp. Kids at the camp learn how to heal from their emotional trauma. Counsellors include fire fighters, therapists, burn survivors and others in the medical field.
There are a lot of emotions they deal with at the camp, a lot of personal stuff, said Laxa. It becomes an amazing brotherhood and sisterhood.
BC Childrens Hospital keeps records of burn cases and calls families when theres an opening for camp.
When they received the call, Laxa and her husband were hesitant to send their two young children away for a week the fire affected both Brandon and his now 12-year-old sister.
I remember my first visit, he said. I was excited, but really shy. Then when my parents came to pick me up, I was crying and mad at them for coming, I didnt want to leave.
Its a place for them to have fun, be treated like normal kids, his mother added. He talks about camp for months after he gets back.
