Color Blaze 5K Supports Memorial Regional Burn Center Patients
“I was a patient in the burn unit from 10/10/13 discharged on 10/23/13. I received severe steam burns in an industrial accident. I am also retired from the Peoria Fire Dept. During my time at Memorial I received what I describe as the finest medical treatment I have ever seen. The care and compassion by the staff in the burn unit went above and beyond excellent. All of the people in that unit are awesome but I feel I have to mention some who treated my medical needs but also connected on a personal level with not only me but also my family and friends. Special thanks to Kelly, Jill, Christie, Lauren, Robert, and last but certainly not least Eddie. All the staff were great, but these individuals stood out and I will always be grateful to them. Memorial Medical Center has a reason to be extremely proud of this unit.”
As a retired Peoria firefighter who served his community for 30 years, Mike Morrow has had ample experience interacting with a variety of medical professionals. So last October when he was a patient in Memorial’s Regional Burn Center, he knew great care when he received it.
“I have interacted with the medical community for many years – and I’ve never seen anything like what I experienced at Memorial. Everyone was awesome. When I wrote the letter to Memorial thanking them, I mentioned by name only who took care of me a lot. But everyone was great,” Mike said.
Mike currently works for a liquid asphalt storage company that receives deliveries of asphalt via train. On October 10, 2013, Mike was working under a railcar when there was an equipment malfunction, and Mike was severely burned by a steam leak. He suffered second and third degree burns from his chest to right foot and down the left leg. He was initially taken to OSF Peoria and then transferred to Memorial’s Burn Unit where he stayed for 14 days.
“They were so compassionate and caring to me and to my family. It was beyond just ‘wound care.’ They would come in and talk with me at night and while I was waiting for my pain medicine,” Mike said.
Mike is currently completing rehabilitation and has resumed daily activities. “I can get around, and I’m driving,” he said. He will return to work soon with limited tasks.
If you want to support the great care patients like Mike receive at Memorial Medical Center, sign up to participate in the Color Blaze 5K on Saturday, May 3. Registration is still available! Proceeds from the event will be donated to patient care in the Burn Unit.