October 24, 2025
Support the Severe Burns Injury Unit
Help the SBIU team provide expert care to patients with severe, life-altering burn injuries from across NSW.
Our goal
$65,000
Raised
$0
To go
$65,000
Transforming lives through world-class burn and reconstructive care
The Royal North Shore Hospital Severe Burns Injury Unit (SBIU) is one of Australia’s leading centres for burns and plastics reconstructive care. As one of only two adult specialist burns units in New South Wales, we provide expert care to patients with severe, life-altering burn injuries from across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW, as well as interstate when required.
Our multidisciplinary team delivers highly specialised care from the moment of injury through to long-term recovery. This includes emergency burn resuscitation, complex surgery, intensive care, advanced wound management, scar reconstruction, laser therapy, rehabilitation and lifelong outpatient follow-up. Every patient benefits from the expertise of burns and plastic surgeons, specialist nurses, allied health professionals, and pain management specialists working together to optimise recovery.
Key risks and statistics
71.6% of patients hospitalised required a skin graft
56.9% of adult patients received gold standard first aid
– 20 minutes of cool running water within three hours of injury.
People living in outer regional and remote areas
experienced significantly higher burn admission rates compared to those in major cities.
- Males are 69.4% more likely to sustain a burn injury compared to females.
- The medium age is 45 years and 58.6% of burn injuries occur in the home.
- 42.4% of burn injuries are flame burns, followed by 25.5% scald burns.
Severe Burns Injury Unit areas of need
Patient Warming System
A heated mattress plays a very important role for patients throughout the burns journey. It assists patients by maintaining a stable body temperature when they are first admitted into the Emergency Department in a critical condition and during dressing changes on the ward and in theatre.
Patients recovering from severe burns are particularly vulnerable to heat loss, which can increase discomfort and place additional stress on the body. Maintaining warmth is essential to support recovery and protect vital functions.
Integrated temperature sensors continuously monitor the heating system, alerting medical staff to any changes and helping ensure patient safety at all times.
By improving comfort during what can be a lengthy and sensitive procedure, this system helps create a more supportive, stable and reassuring care experience for patients.
Investment needed: $15,000
Registered Nurse
Funding will support a Registered Nurse to coordinate and deliver a dedicated weekly laser clinic, providing consistent, specialised care for patients recovering from severe burn injuries. This role will improve timely access to treatment, reduce delays in care, and provide continuity throughout the patient’s recovery journey.
Laser therapy plays an important role in scar management by reducing hypertrophic scarring and itch, improving functional movement and range of motion, and decreasing the need for future surgical interventions. Regular treatment also enhances patient comfort, confidence, and overall quality of life.
Investment needed: $35,000 per annum
Cryo-Jet cooling device
This medical-grade cooling system provides an additional form of pain relief during laser therapy by delivering a continuous stream of chilled air (down to -30°C) before, during and after treatment. It helps reduce discomfort and supports the delivery of effective laser treatment, creating a more positive treatment experience.
Investment needed: $15,000
YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
Donate to the Severe Burns Injury Unit
Delivering specialised care throughout each patient's recovery
Burn injuries can have devastating physical and psychological consequences. Our goal is not only to save lives but also to restore function, minimise scarring, improve quality of life and help patients regain their independence and confidence.
Philanthropic support enables us to invest in innovative equipment and services that enhance patient comfort, improve clinical outcomes and ensure people with severe burn injuries receive the very best care throughout every stage of their recovery.
Meet the Severe Burns Injury Unit team
Dr Rowan Gillies
Head of Department – Severe Burns Injury Unit
Dr Rowan Gillies
Head of Department – Severe Burns Injury Unit
About Dr Rowan
Dr Gillies is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon with a fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He recently completed a Senior Clinical Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and a Clinical Observership at the Jules Verne Clinic in France.
Throughout his career, Dr Gillies has worked extensively in Australia and overseas, including with Médecins Sans Frontières, providing care in challenging environments around the world.
Dr Gillies has a particular interest in reconstructive surgery following skin cancer, severe burns and trauma, as well as lower limb and head and neck reconstruction. He is dedicated to delivering exceptional care and helping patients recover from life-changing injuries.
Throughout his career, Dr Gillies has worked extensively in Australia and overseas, including with Médecins Sans Frontières, providing care in challenging environments around the world.
Dr Gillies has a particular interest in reconstructive surgery following skin cancer, severe burns and trauma, as well as lower limb and head and neck reconstruction. He is dedicated to delivering exceptional care and helping patients recover from life-changing injuries.
Dr Aruna Wijewardena
Burns Surgeon
Dr Aruna Wijewardena
Burns Surgeon
About Dr Aruna
Dr Aruna has dedicated more than 30 years to caring for people with severe burn injuries in Sri Lanka and Australia. Since joining the Severe Burns Injury Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital in 2005, he has helped patients recover from complex injuries with a focus on achieving the best possible functional and cosmetic outcomes.
Passionate about improving the lives of burn survivors, Dr Aruna combines compassionate patient care with a commitment to research, collaboration and education. Through his work, he helps patients rebuild their lives while advancing the future of burns care for generations to come.
Passionate about improving the lives of burn survivors, Dr Aruna combines compassionate patient care with a commitment to research, collaboration and education. Through his work, he helps patients rebuild their lives while advancing the future of burns care for generations to come.
Sally Trevaskis
Nurse Unit Manager and Clinical Nurse Specialist
Sally Trevaskis
Nurse Unit Manager and Clinical Nurse Specialist
About Sally
Sally has dedicated more than 20 years to caring for patients with burn injuries, joining the Severe Burns Injury Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital in 2005. Today, she shares the Nurse Unit Manager role while continuing to work clinically as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, allowing her to remain closely connected to the patients and families she supports.
Sally is passionate about providing compassionate, patient-centred care and helping patients navigate the challenges of recovery after a burn injury. She values working alongside a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, believing the best outcomes come from collaboration, shared expertise and a commitment to exceptional care.
Equally dedicated to supporting her colleagues, Sally mentors the next generation of burns nurses and champions a positive workplace culture. Together with her team, she is committed to continually improving specialised burns care and ensuring patients receive the best possible support throughout their recovery.
Sally is passionate about providing compassionate, patient-centred care and helping patients navigate the challenges of recovery after a burn injury. She values working alongside a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, believing the best outcomes come from collaboration, shared expertise and a commitment to exceptional care.
Equally dedicated to supporting her colleagues, Sally mentors the next generation of burns nurses and champions a positive workplace culture. Together with her team, she is committed to continually improving specialised burns care and ensuring patients receive the best possible support throughout their recovery.
Bethany Lloyd
Nurse Unit Manager
Bethany Lloyd
Nurse Unit Manager
About Bethany
Bethany has dedicated more than 11 years to caring for patients with burn injuries, building her career in a specialty that is both complex and deeply rewarding. As a burns and plastics nurse, she is passionate about providing high-quality, patient-centred care and supporting patients through every stage of their recovery.
What Bethany values most about burns nursing is the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients over time, helping them regain their confidence and independence after injury. She believes exceptional outcomes are achieved through collaboration and is proud to work alongside a highly skilled multidisciplinary team committed to delivering the best possible care.
For Bethany, it is a privilege to be part of each patient's recovery journey and to contribute to the specialised care that helps transform lives.
What Bethany values most about burns nursing is the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients over time, helping them regain their confidence and independence after injury. She believes exceptional outcomes are achieved through collaboration and is proud to work alongside a highly skilled multidisciplinary team committed to delivering the best possible care.
For Bethany, it is a privilege to be part of each patient's recovery journey and to contribute to the specialised care that helps transform lives.
Rachel Edmondson
Senior Burns Physiotherapist
Rachel Edmondson
Senior Burns Physiotherapist
About Rachel
For more than 15 years, Rachel has supported patients recovering from life-changing burn injuries at Royal North Shore Hospital’s Severe Burns Unit. Working across ICU, inpatient wards and outpatient clinics, she helps patients maintain mobility, rebuild strength and regain independence throughout their recovery journey.
Rachel is passionate about delivering personalised, compassionate care and finds it incredibly rewarding to see patients progress from critical care through to returning home. She is proud to be part of a multidisciplinary team whose expertise, dedication and compassion help patients achieve the best possible outcomes.
Rachel is passionate about delivering personalised, compassionate care and finds it incredibly rewarding to see patients progress from critical care through to returning home. She is proud to be part of a multidisciplinary team whose expertise, dedication and compassion help patients achieve the best possible outcomes.
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