The BSTTW Viet Nam Fund donated the finances needed to pay for the surgery, medications and massage therapy Ms. Xuan needed and for Michael Appleman and Nguyen Thi Dieu Tran, BSTTW Vice President & Director - Viet Nam to travel to Viet Nam and offer medical supplies to two burn survivors in need of wound care work and fire safety education for several villages in South Viet Nam. Two months before BSTTW's upcoming trip to Viet Nam Mr. Michael Appleman, BSTTW CEO, contacted the French-Vietnamese Hospital in Viet Nam and requested that Dr. Siegfried Franckhauser a plastic surgeon evaluate Ms. Xuan, a burn survivor who was in need of z-plasty, medications, massage therapy and rehabilitation. Dr. Franckhauser evaluated Ms. Xuan and concluded that she will need z-plasty surgery and pressure garments. Dr. Franckhauser asked Mr. Appleman if BSTTW would be able to get the pressure garments needed for Ms. Xuan. Mr. Appleman immediately began to contact several companies who produce pressure garments in the USA and other areas around the world. Lisa King from Gottfried Medical, Inc. contacted Mr. Appleman and informed him that Mr. Gottfried would be willing to donate the pressure garments needed for Ms. Xuan. Mr. Appleman and Ms. King put together the information needed and sent all to Dr. Franckhauser. A appointment at the hospital was set up with Ms. Xuan in order for Dr. Franckhauser take the needed measurements, fill out the order forms and submit them to Gottfried Medical, Inc.. Once the order was received Mr. Appleman asked Ms. King to please order two pair of pressure garments for Ms. Xuan. The order was submitted and Gottfried Medical, Inc. produced and donated the pressure garments to BSTTW.

On February 14, 2006, Mr. Appleman and Ms. Dieu Tran transported the pressure garments, fire safety educational materials and medications to Viet Nam. On February 17, 2006, they met with Dr. Franckhauser and Dr. Biset at the French-Vietnamese Hospital. Mr. Appleman delivered the pressure garments to Dr. Franckhauser. Then on Monday February 20, 2006, Mr. Appleman, Ms. Dieu Tran, Dr. Franckhauser and Ms. Xuan met in order to evaluate Ms. Xuan's situation and have Ms. Xuan try on the pressure garments. Dr. Franckhauser concluded that it would be best if Ms. Xuan wore the pressure garments for 1 week and inform Dr. Franckhauser if the pressure garments are fitting properly or not. At that time they will decide on possible surgery for Ms. Xuan. Dr. Franckhauser asked Mr. Appleman to set up an appointment in one week in order to reevaluate the need for surgery and the use of the pressure garments.

The next meeting for Ms. Xuan was set up for Monday February 27, 2006. Mr. Appleman and Ms. Dieu Tran decided to begin their traveling around South Viet Nam in order to offer fire safety information and wound care services and then return to Ho Chi Minh City for the appointment with Dr. Franckhauser. During their travel around South Viet Nam, Mr. Appleman and Ms. Dieu Tran met other burn survivors who were in need of their support and services. The burn survivors were given BSTTW information and the BSTTW Medical Application. Mr. Appleman was informed that in Nha Trang Viet Nam, there were three new burn victims who were in need of wound care. They immediately decided to redirect to Nha Trang to meet with the three burn victims who were in need of wound care in order to become burn survivors.

Ms. Dieu Tran contacted the three burn victims in Nha Trang and requested that they come to the home Mr. Appleman is staying at in order for Mr. Appleman to evaluate their wounds and speak with them about wound care. Two of the burn victims were female and one was male. The male burn victim stated that he became Viet Cong and did not want to have an American do wound care work on his burned arm. Ms. Dieu Tran informed him that Mr. Appleman would not be able to give him any medications before he evaluated the burn wounds. Both female burn victims came for an evaluation and had Mr. Appleman and his team offer them wound care work. After evaluating the wounds Mr. Appleman felt that Agnijith would be the herbal medication to use. The 2 year old little girl suffered a second degree burn to her calf. This occurred when her calf hit the exhaust pipe on the motorbike she was traveling on with her family. She is a relative of Ms. Xuan the burn survivor who received z-plasty surgery at the French-Vietnamese Hospital and pressure garments from Gottfried Medical, Inc..

Mr. Appleman evaluated the wound and informed the parents that she is suffering from second degree burns to her calf. He offered wound care with Agnijith twice a day. The family agreed. You will see two pictures of the wound and several treatments later. Mr. Appleman used both Agnijith and the Miracle Ointment on the burn.

The second burn victim is a 30 year old female who suffered a 2nd and 3rd degree burns to her face while she was cooking at home. Ms. Anh the adult burn victim informed Mr. Appleman that she received wound care from a relative who was also a surgeon. Ms. Anh stated that the doctor gave her medication to take by mouth and offered her wound care treatment twice. Ms. Anh stated that after the second wound care session the doctor informed her that she should leave the wound open for two to three months and it will heal. Ms. Anh was not to come for wound care work any longer.

After evaluating the burns, Mr. Appleman informed Ms. Anh that she definitely needs wound care work. In the middle under the scab, the third degree burn was not healilng and appeared to possibly be infected. Ms. Anh agreed to the wound care treatment. Mr. Appleman set up two sessions per day. Mr. Appleman decided to use Agnijith, the herbal medication from India. For the next five days Ms. Anh attended the informed Mr. Appleman that she was not receiving daily wound care work. Ms. Anh attended the wound care work twice a day for the next five days. On the third day of treatment, the BSTTW team decided to begin removing the scab. In order to do so, they soaked the scab in distilled water and salt. Once the scab was removed BSTTW began to put Agnijith on the scars and open wounds. The third degree burn needed special care. By the fifth day of treatment Ms. Anh was showing excellent improvemtne. You can see that on the last picture of Ms. Anh. Since that was the last day Mr. Appleman would be in Nha Trang, he informed the BSTTW team to continue the treatment twice a day, take pictures at each treatment session and to contact him if they have any questions. Mr. Appleman informed Ms. Anh that he is returning to Ho Chi Minh and the BSTTW Team will continue the treatment twice a day. Ms. Anh agreed to continue her treatment. Two days later, Mr. Appleman was informed that Ms. Anh decided to not return to the BSTTW Team and BSTTW does not know anything more about Ms. Anh.

Ms. Xuan and many other burn victims and burn survivors are still in need of medical treatment, medical supplies and rehabilitation. BSTTW asks you to take part in helping us rebuild their lives by donating to the BSTTW Viet Nam Fund. You can learn more and donated to the BSTTW Viet Nam Fund by going to BSTTW Viet Nam Fund or in Vietnamese at BSTTW Viet Nam Fund (Vietnamese)