Helping WA kids bounce back from burns.
- Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
Helping WA kids bounce back from burns.
- Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
Each year, more than 500 WA kids are admitted to Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) with burn injuries. The 2026 Perth Firefighters Calendar is raising vital funds for Perth Children's Hospital Foundation (PCHF), ensuring kids like Felix receive world-class burn care and support at PCH when they need it most.
Perth mum, Camilla, was in the kitchen packing a nappy bag when 18-month-old Felix, pulled a freshly boiled kettle down onto himself.
“I heard a blood curdling scream; it was not a normal cry,” Camilla said. “And then I saw what happened.”
The water poured over his chest and torso, under his arms, inside his thighs, down his legs, and onto one foot. Camilla placed Felix into a cold bath. With Felix’s grandmother, she then rushed him to their local hospital.
“When I was splashing him, his skin was peeling off into my hands. I would never wish that upon my worst enemy. Luckily, he had a nappy on, and it also missed his face. I’m so thankful neither of those major areas were burnt,” – Camilla, Felix’s mum.
From there, Felix was treated under an ice-cold shower, silver patches and cooling gel were applied, and he was transferred straight to PCH. He had sustained burns to 22% of his body.
Felix spent 2.5 weeks at PCH, unable to move as his body was bandaged from chest to toes. He underwent three procedures including cleaning and dressing, applying spray-on skin and traditional graft surgery.
Felix will require additional grafts, and ongoing COâ‚‚ laser therapy, a non-invasive treatment that helps reduce thickened scar tissue and improve skin flexibility.
“The treatment has been amazing. I genuinely cannot praise the PCH Burns team enough,” she said.
“I don’t know how we’d be if this happened 10 years ago. Felix would probably have some pretty gnarly scars. I’m so thankful the technology has come so far. The spray-on skin, the research behind it – it’s amazing.
“You’d never know from looking at his stomach and chest – that’s how well it’s worked.”
As well as seeing PCH’s physio and occupational therapy teams, Felix wears compression pants 23 hours a day to minimise scar thickness and ease itching. Camilla also manages a lot of his care at home from daily physio to applying ointments and massaging scars.
At first, Felix attended PCH 2 – 3 times a week. Now, his visits are every 4 – 6 weeks, as doctors monitor his healing.
Life-changing burns treatment like this relies on vital funding, and that’s where the Perth Firefighters Calendar makes a difference.
Now in its 19th year, the 2026 calendar is once again raising funds for PCHF. Last year, it helped raise over $100,000 for the Foundation, and since 2008, the calendar has contributed more than $2.2 million to the PCH Burns Unit.
Funds raised this year will support life-changing burns research led by Professor Fiona Wood, investigating the long-term physical and mental health impacts of burns. Â
The 2026 Perth Firefighters Calendar is available for $15, online and in-store at the PCHF Gift Shop, as well as at selected locations including IKEA, Murray Street Mall, Armadale Shopping Centre and Bunbury Forum in the lead-up to Christmas.
Get your copy today and help support life-changing burns research for kids like Felix.
