COMITÉ DIRECTEUR DU CCNR
If you would like more information or wish to contact a member please see below for each members email.
Mike Cook
Burn Survivor et membre du conseil d'administration
Mike Cook a subi des brûlures sur 17% de son corps à partir de la taille en essayant d'allumer un barbecue au charbon de bois dans un camp scout en 1998. Il a passé 17 dyas dans l'unité des brûlés du Royal Jubilee Hospital de Victoria, en Colombie-Britannique. Il avait besoin de graphiques cutanés sur son épaule droite, son biceps et sa cage thoracique. En 1999/2000, après avoir assisté à la World Burn Conference organisée par la Phoenix Society, il a joué un rôle de premier plan dans l'information du groupe de soutien par les pairs parrainé par le Firefighters Burn Fund of Victoria. Ils ont été formés pour fournir un soutien par les pairs aux survivants et aux membres de leur famille afin de les aider à se rétablir après une brûlure. Mike continue de servir le groupe de soutien par les pairs du Firefighters Burn Fund en tant que trésorier et directeur du comité de la conférence de Victoria pour la prochaine conférence des survivants des brûlures qui se tiendra en juin 2014.
Barbara Anne Hodge
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Barbara-Anne Hodge est une ergothérapeute qui a travaillé pendant 28 ans au Health Sciences Centre Burns and Plastics Unit à Winnipeg, au Manitoba. Au cours de son travail, elle a connu de nombreux survivants de brûlures qui ont dû faire face aux changements de leur apparence et de leur vie quotidienne en raison de leurs blessures. Elle est l'un des membres fondateurs de la Mamingwey Burn Survivor Society au Manitoba en 2003.
Deborah Ward
Secrétaire / Trésorier
Deborah Ward a brûlé à l'âge de 7 ans, couverture corporelle à 70%, brûlures au 3ème degré. Deborah a d'abord passé 6 mois et demi à l'hôpital, pendant un mois et de retour pendant 5 mois et demi, à un moment où les comas induits n'étaient pas connus. Au fil des années, elle a eu tant de greffes et de rejets, il est impossible de compter. Deborah a 54 ans d'expérience en tant que survivante de brûlures. Deborah est présidente du Nova Scotia Burn Support Group et secrétaire / trésorière du comité directeur de la Conférence canadienne des survivants des brûlures. Deborah est une nouvelle auteure publiée de sa biographie «Silently Weeping» Deborah est présidente de l'Avon Boat Club et parent d'accueil de 4 garçons ayant des besoins spéciaux. Deborah rend visite aux patients de l'unité des brûlés du QE11 Health Sciences Centre (Halifax Infirmary) et participe activement au Burn Camp (Camp Connect) pour les enfants et les adultes brûlés parrainé par la Nova Scotia Firefighters Burn Treatment Society.
Heather Lynn Beveridge
Heather Lynn Beveridge est une travailleuse sociale médicale. Elle a travaillé avec des survivants de brûlures et leurs familles au cours des 20 dernières années dans un hôpital pédiatrique et des camps de brûlés pédiatriques. Elle a commencé sa carrière dans l'unité des grands brûlés de l'Hospital for Sick Children de Toronto. En 2009, elle a déménagé en Colombie-Britannique pour poursuivre un doctorat à l'Université de la Colombie-Britannique. Elle travaille à temps plein en tant que coordonnatrice des services aux patients pour le fonds de brûlage des pompiers professionnels de la Colombie-Britannique (BCPFF). Elle continue d'être la travailleuse sociale du camp au camp BUCKO en Ontario ainsi que le camp de brûlage en Colombie-Britannique. Elle fait partie du comité organisateur de la Canadian Burn Survivors Conference, organisée par le BCPFF Burn Fund en mai 2020.
Sandy Cook
Member of the Board of Directors, British Columbia
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Sandy Cook was born in Halifax Nova Scotia and moved to Victoria British Columbia as a young child. She grew up in the Victoria and met Michael Cook in 1981 and they married in 1982. They have two boys, and the family became involved in scouting in the mid 90’s. Michael was burned at their year-end scout camp in Sooke on Vancouver Island on May 31, 1998. After attending two World Burn conferences, she assisted Michael when the peer support group began in Victoria BC and became involved with the CBSC 2012.
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Contact: s.cook@mycbsc.ca
Heather Lynn Beveridge
Member of the Board of Directors, British Columbia
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Heather Lynn Beveridge is a medical Social Worker. She has worked with burn survivors and their families for the past 20 years in both a pediatric hospital, and pediatric burn camps. She began her career on the burn unit at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In 2009, she relocated to British Columbia to pursue a PhD at the University of British Columbia. She works full time as the patient services coordinator for the BC Professional Firefighters’ (BCPFF) burn fund. She continues to be the camp social worker at Camp BUCKO in Ontario as well as burn camp in BC. She is part of the organizing committee for the Canadian Burn Survivors Conference being hosted by the BCPFF Burn Fund in May 2020.
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Contact: h.beveridge@mycbsc.ca
Victoria Vass
Burn Survivor & Member of the Board of Directors, Ontario
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Victoria is a burn survivor and the founder of Life After Burns, an Ontario based community for those impacted by the trauma of burns. In 2002, at 9 years old, she sustained third degree burns to 20% of her body. 18 years after her accident, she found support for herself and that is how she came to understand and appreciate the strength, resilience and endurance of those affected by a similar traumatic experience. Through helping herself, she realized that she could help others who have had similar life-changing experiences by creating connections, finding resources, and bringing people together.
Victoria's focus is connecting survivors and their loved ones to resources, as well as building a strong community. She is passionate about community work, self awareness and development. She will continue to raise awareness and advocate for burn survivors, and develop more resources and avenues towards healing.
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Contact: v.vass@mycbsc.ca
Daniel Nguyen
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Member of the Board of Directors, Quebec
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Daniel Nguyen is an international executive with a keen ability to successfully building inclusive and high-functioning teams, developing customer partnerships, creating global scale, and identifying opportunities for innovation. With over 20 years of experience with Fortune Global 500 companies such as L’Oréal, COTY and Danone, as well as start-ups and medium-sized businesses, Daniel has held leadership roles in sales, marketing and corporate strategy spanning the healthcare and technology industries, with a successful track record in enabling high employee engagement, customer outcomes, and delivering investor and stakeholder value. He also serves on several boards of non-profits, including the CBSC which supports a cause very dear to his heart.
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Contact: daniel.nguyen@mycbsc.ca
Kyle Hynes
Burn Survivor et membre du conseil d'administration
Kyle Hynes est un survivant des brûlures depuis 1998. Kyle était dans un incendie de maison à l'âge de 5 ans, causé par un incendie électrique. 89% de ce son corps a été brûlé.
Au fil des ans, Kyle avait fait des allers-retours à l'hôpital Shriners de Boston pour obtenir des graphiques cutanés et une chirurgie de reconstruction.
Son voyage pour aider d'autres survivants de brûlures a commencé un an après son accident, tandis qu'à l'hôpital, Kyle avait un petit bureau installé dans la salle de jeux de l'hôpital pour accueillir d'autres enfants et les aider à surmonter leurs brûlures.
Kyle est une personne très positive et désireuse d'aider d'autres survivants de brûlure avec leur nouvelle mendicité en tant que survivant de brûlure.
Hakiem Alier
Burn Survivor & Member of the Board of Directors, Alberta
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Hakiem Alier was burnt in a workplace accident in March of 2022. He was burnt to 45% of his body from a vapour gasoline explosion and fire. He has 3rd degree burns to both legs from boots lines to hips, and 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face. Hakiem advises that CBSC has been a huge help to his recovery. He has learned a lot about burn treatment and recovery from the experiences of many survivors. He stated that his recovery journey has been cut short by years because of the CBSC. Hakiem has had the opportunity to share his story and experience with others. He continues to be a volunteer peer supporter at the burn unit at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.
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Contact: hakiem.alier@mycbsc.ca
Melissa Bonnell
Burn Survivor, Member of the Board of Directors, Peer Support Lead, Alberta
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Melissa is a child burn survivor who was born and raised on a small island off the coast of Newfoundland. At two years old, she sustained third-degree burns from scalding oil—an experience that shaped her deep empathy and lifelong passion for supporting others through healing. Twenty years later, after undergoing reconstructive surgery, Melissa discovered the burn community and became a counsellor at the Atlantic Burn Camp for children with burn injuries, where she now attends as a therapist supporting both campers and staff.
Today, Melissa lives in Beaver County, Alberta, where she runs a private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist on her acreage, often joined by her friendly farm animals. With over 30 years of experience in the social services field, she brings warmth, compassion, and systemic understanding to her work with individuals and families.
As the Peer Support Lead for the Canadian Burn Survivors Community, Melissa facilitates the bi-weekly peer support groups and helps create safe, welcoming spaces for survivors and their families to connect and share their experiences. She’s passionate about fostering community, advocating for mental health, and helping others find strength, hope, and belonging on their healing journey.
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Contact: @mycbsc.ca
Tolu Amadi
Burn Survivor & Member of the Board of Directors, Alberta
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As a teenager, Tolu Amadi sustained burns to approximately 30% of her body — primarily from her hips down and lower hands — due to a leaking propane gas cylinder. Although the injuries were extensive, her face healed remarkably well. A widespread power outage at the time delayed access to emergency services, making the experience even more traumatic for Tolu and her sibling, who also sustained burns to approximately 50% of their body.
In 2024, Tolu became a member of the Canadian Burn Survivors Community (CBSC) Peer Support Network, joining a national community of survivors. This year marks her first time attending the Canadian Burn Survivors Conference — an important milestone in her journey of healing, resilience, and community connection.
Tolu’s story is one of survival, perseverance, and hope, as she continues to find strength through connection and shared experiences.
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Contact: @mycbsc.ca
Steve Kirkwood
Fire Chief & Member of the Board of Directors, Nova Scotia
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Steve Kirkwood brings a deep sense of dedication and heart to the Canadian Burn Survivors Community. A husband, father, and lifelong community builder, Steve has spent his career in service—ten years in the army followed by thirteen years in the fire department, where he has served as Fire Chief for the past seven.
For the past eleven years, Steve has also been a proud part of the Atlantic Burn Camp (ABC) for burn-injured children, where his compassion, leadership, and steady presence have made a lasting impact. His time with ABC and his role on the board reflect his belief in the power of connection, resilience, and giving back.
When he’s not serving his community, Steve enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends. His daughter’s birth remains his most cherished memory—she is his whole world. Known by those around him as reliable, grounded, and intentional, Steve is someone who leads with both integrity and kindness. Whether with his family, at the fire hall, or in his community, Steve’s purpose is simple yet profound: to connect, support, and make a difference where it matters most.
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Contact: @mycbsc.ca
