Saskatchewan's very first burn unit has been serving the city of Saskatoon, its surrounding area, and the northern half of the province for over 25 years. The unit first opened its doors in 1974. At that time it was five beds on the fifth floor of the Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Saskatoon, but has since become a state-of-the-art burn unit. Prior to the establishment of the burn unit, all burn patients were treated at the hospital's orthopedic unit.

Through our fund raising efforts, we have been able to donate a $50,000 butterfly burn tub, whirlpool and hydraulic lift, pediatric tub, specialty Kinair beds, monitoring devices, exercises equipment, a large whirlpool tub, blood pressure monitor, skin replacements, and other amenities to help burn patients at Royal University Hospital burn unit. We have also provided videos, rocking chairs, and a television set that has provided a comfortable environment for patients and their families.

In December of 2001, the SPFFA and the RUH (Royal University Hospital) Foundation shared costs on the purchase of a $129,000 Zeiss operating microscope. It replaced the old out-of-date one, which was originally funded by the SPFFA 20 years ago. The new microscope features many improvements over its predecessor including stronger magnification and better optics. It provides a significant advantage to surgeons delivering microsurgical care of thermal injuries, both burns and frostbite, and it's use will benefit burn patient care for the next 2 decades.

We work closely with the RUH Foundation to bring burn programs to the unit and continue to work hard to raise funds for the ongoing needs of their burn unit.

Since opening its doors ten years ago, the burn unit has seen a decrease in the number of burn patients. We believe this decrease can be attributed to the excellent public education provided by SPFFA and the expanded ability to manage some burns on an outpatient basis.