The Big Voice

CEO’s Leadership Letter

December 2019

Dear Friends,

Happy Holidays to you and yours from Sons of the Flag (SOTF). We thank you for your continued support throughout the year, and especially for considering to invest one more time before year end. I can’t believe this decade is almost over and 2020 is on the horizon. Do you remember when you were a kid watching movies about the future and wondering what it would be like? The future is here. Yet when it comes to burns we still lag behind on medical advancements to support burn survivors. In last month’s Big Voice, you learned about Ronald—a young burn survivor with an extraordinary attitude of gratitude. This month, you will meet Dr. Audra Clark and hear about her powerful journey to become one more greatly needed burn surgeon in the world.

Dr. Clark’s story reminds me of why I began this organization—to help one person—and the incredible ripple effect investing in one person can have. My own burn experience, plus witnessing the devastating burn traumas of friends, made the urgent support needed in the medical sector extremely apparent. I realized the national and global attention burn care needs. We will never be able to eradicate burns but together we can accelerate the technologies and treatments needed to transform lives. The first step is to support the medical professionals committed to burn care. In 2016, there were 486,000 burn survivors, with one civilian fire injury occuring every minute. But shockingly, there are less than 200 accredited burn surgeons in the US to serve families experiencing this trauma. The revolution of burn care starts with us investing in medical professionals like Dr. Clark, and therefore the survivors and families they serve.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Big Voice. Much like the “big voice” loudspeakers used to broadcast urgent messages on a military base, our Big Voice brings vital news to you. Incredible stories from burn survivors and care providers who embody fearlessness, determination and fortitude. A burn injury lasts a lifetime but the trauma doesn’t have to. Your contributions to our critical programming will transform lives. Please donate now.

With a grateful heart,

Ryan “Birdman” Parrott
Founder & CEO