|
Chris Gilyard is the Burn Survivor Peer Support Representative for the Burn Center. She supports burn survivors in the adjustment and recovery process they go through after experiencing a severe burn injury.
Chris was a burn patient in the Burn Center 22 years ago, as the result of a car collision explosion. She spent two months in the Burn Center. As part of her recovery, Chris was required to wear a transparent facemask to minimize facial scarring. She wore the mask for a total of two years.
Since her burn experience, Chris received her Master's Degree and has done various work with the Burn Center. She has been a featured speaker for the Minnesota Burn Care Conference, appeared on television's PM MAGAZINE promoting the transparent facemask, and represented the Burn Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota exhibit. Chris also does motivational and educational speaking, utilizing her burn experience to promote health and wellness, and patient-centered health care.
Today Chris is married, raising two boys and spending her free time on their small farm in rural Minnesota. Her work in the Burn Center, supporting and encouraging patients and families, is a reflection of the quality care she received during her own recovery. It is her hope that her experience and investment will make a difference for others experiencing a burn trauma. | 