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Our Patients
On this page we introduce you to some of our patients whom we have already been able to help. As already mentioned on the homepage, we emphasize that all of them (in the case of minors, their parents) have given their express permission to publish the photos in order to draw attention to their fates and the help provided by the association.
We would like to clarify and ask you, as a visitor to our site, to handle the images shown here discreetly and carefully.
Some Facts and Data
On average, we can help one to two patients per year. This always depends on the degree and severity of the burn injury, as well as the associated treatment costs. These can range from EUR 15,000 to EUR 120,000. This does not include acute burn injuries. line-height:1.3em; text-align:justify">From 2013 to 2023, we were able to treat a total of 23 people, including four adults. Our patients come from Uzbekistan, Ghana, Gambia, Serbia, Kosovo, the Philippines, Benin, Yemen, Gaza, Iraq, and Sudan. The main cause of the burns we treat are open fires, which can quickly become dangerous due to carelessness while playing, etc., and (unfortunately) so-called "unexploded ordnance" in crisis areas.
Important
Our association covers the clinic and treatment costs.
Accommodation and care are borne by the patients and their families.
All of our doctors and VFBB employees work on a voluntary and unpaid basis for their patients.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. med. univ. Milomir Ninkovic, who has made great progress in realizing our association's goals possible over the past few years. Univ. Ninkovic was Chief Physician of the Clinic for Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand, and Burn Surgery at Munich's Bogenhausen Clinic from 2003 and the first chairman of our non-profit association from 2010 to 2023. He is one of the world's best plastic-reconstructive and aesthetic surgeons and, through his outstanding work, was able to raise public awareness of the VFBB e.V. This enabled numerous patients to receive the help they so desperately needed.
We are proud to have gained a more than worthy successor in Prof. Dr. med. habil. P. Niclas Broer, FACS, FEBOPRAS, ABPLS, MHBA. Through his many years of collaboration with Prof. Dr. med. univ. Ninkovic, Prof. Dr. Broer, FACS, FEBOPRAS, ABPLS, MHBA, is extremely familiar with our association's work and the associated treatment procedures. With his outstanding expertise in the field of aesthetic surgery and his excellent skills, he will continue the work of Prof. Dr. med. univ. Ninkovic in the future, in his spirit, for the benefit of patients.
Prof. Dr. med. univ. Milomir Ninkovic
1. Board until 2023
Prof. Dr. med. habil. P. Niclas Broer, FACS, FEBOPRAS, ABPLS, MHBA
1. Board of directors from 2023
We could and can help here.
Click on the individual images to learn more about our past and current patients.
Yakhyo from Uzbekistan
was involved in a traffic accident in 2020. Because his vehicle was carrying gas cylinders, the car caught fire. The door jammed, and he was unable to get out. The fire spread very quickly. Yakhyo tried to protect himself with his arm, but suffered third-degree burns on approximately 45% of his body. His face and upper body were particularly affected. He also lost his left hand, and his feet were also affected.
Both ears and his nose were completely burned. Yakhyo not only suffers excruciating pain but also has severe problems breathing and eating.
Due to his severe disfigurement, he lives in isolation with his mother.
Since the Uzbek health system only provides basic care, he raised money in his home country for two surgeries.
These funds were quickly exhausted, and the treatments were unsuccessful. To improve his condition, further treatment by specialists is urgently needed.
Therefore, VFBB e.V., together with the Florian Lex Foundation, will cover Yakhyo's treatment and living expenses in Munich.
The treatment will last approximately one year and is expected to cost €100,000.
Please support us with your donation so that our doctors can enable Yakhyo to return to a normal life free of pain and stigma.
Both ears and his nose were completely burned. Yakhyo not only suffers excruciating pain but also has severe problems breathing and eating.
Due to his severe disfigurement, he lives in isolation with his mother.
Since the Uzbek health system only provides basic care, he raised money in his home country for two surgeries.
These funds were quickly exhausted, and the treatments were unsuccessful. To improve his condition, further treatment by specialists is urgently needed.
Therefore, VFBB e.V., together with the Florian Lex Foundation, will cover Yakhyo's treatment and living expenses in Munich.
The treatment will last approximately one year and is expected to cost €100,000.
Please support us with your donation so that our doctors can enable Yakhyo to return to a normal life free of pain and stigma.
Nabila from Afghanistan
...had suffered severe, painful scalding on both thighs from hot water.
In April 2022, we received a request from the Peace Village asking if we could help the 8-year-old from Kabul.
The doctors immediately agreed to the treatment. With the help of donations from RTL's "We Help Children," we were able to perform the necessary surgeries on Nabila.
Nabila is now back home, and we very much hope she's doing well.
In April 2022, we received a request from the Peace Village asking if we could help the 8-year-old from Kabul.
The doctors immediately agreed to the treatment. With the help of donations from RTL's "We Help Children," we were able to perform the necessary surgeries on Nabila.
Nabila is now back home, and we very much hope she's doing well.
Mariama from Gambia
For Mariama Njie, then three years old, from Essau, Gambia, life changed dramatically.
Mariama's mother was cleaning the living room. Outside the kitchen stood a charcoal stove, with a pot of hot water on top.
For people who deal with burn victims, this is – unfortunately – a classic example of such accidents. Mariama was playing near the charcoal stove. While playing, she unfortunately fell backward into the stove. The pot fell, and the boiling-hot water poured over her.
In a country like Gambia, such an injury is particularly devastating, as there is no specialized medical care for such accidents.
Mariama's father immediately took her to the clinic in Essau, but there was only one doctor for the entire hospital, and he wasn't there that day.
So Mariama's father drove Mariama by taxi for six hours to Dakar.
The doctors tried everything, performing various skin grafts. However, the scars on Mariama's body led to significant contractures, so that she could barely move. Hopelessness spread. Mariana now only received new wound dressings twice a week. There was no other help available – a devastating news for her father. His financial resources were exhausted. No one could help his little daughter. A final glimmer of hope: An acquaintance in Germany was looking for a hospital that could truly help Mariama.
She found the Munich Schwabing Children's Hospital. Dr. Carsten Krohn, senior consultant at the Department of Pediatric Surgery and a specialist in burn surgery and pediatric traumatology, works there – and a person who has so far been able to bring a smile to every child's face. Dr. Krohn is also a member of the non-profit Association for the Promotion of Treatment of Burn Injured (VFBB e.V.). Here, after all her long suffering, Mariama received the help she so desperately needed. The VFBB e.V. financed all of her medical treatment.
Mariama has now regained her smile.
Mariama's mother was cleaning the living room. Outside the kitchen stood a charcoal stove, with a pot of hot water on top.
For people who deal with burn victims, this is – unfortunately – a classic example of such accidents. Mariama was playing near the charcoal stove. While playing, she unfortunately fell backward into the stove. The pot fell, and the boiling-hot water poured over her.
In a country like Gambia, such an injury is particularly devastating, as there is no specialized medical care for such accidents.
Mariama's father immediately took her to the clinic in Essau, but there was only one doctor for the entire hospital, and he wasn't there that day.
So Mariama's father drove Mariama by taxi for six hours to Dakar.
The doctors tried everything, performing various skin grafts. However, the scars on Mariama's body led to significant contractures, so that she could barely move. Hopelessness spread. Mariana now only received new wound dressings twice a week. There was no other help available – a devastating news for her father. His financial resources were exhausted. No one could help his little daughter. A final glimmer of hope: An acquaintance in Germany was looking for a hospital that could truly help Mariama.
She found the Munich Schwabing Children's Hospital. Dr. Carsten Krohn, senior consultant at the Department of Pediatric Surgery and a specialist in burn surgery and pediatric traumatology, works there – and a person who has so far been able to bring a smile to every child's face. Dr. Krohn is also a member of the non-profit Association for the Promotion of Treatment of Burn Injured (VFBB e.V.). Here, after all her long suffering, Mariama received the help she so desperately needed. The VFBB e.V. financed all of her medical treatment.
Mariama has now regained her smile.
Irina from Uzbekistan
In 2016, 10-year-old Irina from the Uzbek province of Navoi suffered severe burns all over her body in a tragic accident. Like almost all children from this region, the girl comes from a poor background.
To rid Irina of lice, her scalp was treated with gasoline, as lice shampoo, as is common in Western Europe, is not available there.
The girl then went into the courtyard to wash off the gasoline in the outdoor steam bath, which is heated with coal and wood. The gasoline ignited on her scalp, and Irina suffered severe burns to her face, upper body, and both arms.
Due to the massive smoke, she could hardly breathe and was immediately taken to the hospital. There, a tracheotomy was performed, which allowed her to breathe again. However, her burns were not treated.
To date, the tracheotomy has not been reversed, and Irina can barely walk because the scars constrict her battered body!
Irina's treatment is being carried out in cooperation with Friedensdorf International.
To rid Irina of lice, her scalp was treated with gasoline, as lice shampoo, as is common in Western Europe, is not available there.
The girl then went into the courtyard to wash off the gasoline in the outdoor steam bath, which is heated with coal and wood. The gasoline ignited on her scalp, and Irina suffered severe burns to her face, upper body, and both arms.
Due to the massive smoke, she could hardly breathe and was immediately taken to the hospital. There, a tracheotomy was performed, which allowed her to breathe again. However, her burns were not treated.
To date, the tracheotomy has not been reversed, and Irina can barely walk because the scars constrict her battered body!
Irina's treatment is being carried out in cooperation with Friedensdorf International.
Irma from Sarajevo
Irma Bejdic is a young woman from Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In August 2011, Irma traveled to Kenya for an international conference organized by the youth organization AIESEC. This acronym has stood for "Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales" since its founding in 1948 by economics students. Soon after its founding, however, AIESEC's approach expanded to include other academic fields. Today, it is the world's largest student organization, whose goal is to promote international understanding and global thinking. It also aims to train young students to become leaders in management with an understanding of human interaction.
These preliminary remarks are important for understanding Irma Bejdic. Irma has a very clear view of the world, the role she wants to play in it, and thereby change it for the better.
When she traveled to Kenya, she had almost finished her studies. In some ways, this trip was the culmination of her graduation, which she intended to complete upon her return. The tour combined Irma's curiosity about other cultures with her interest in social work.
Unfortunately, this trip also became the turning point of her life.
On one of the research tours through Kenya, the bus carrying the students, including Irma, crashed and caught fire. One student was killed in the accident, and Irma herself suffered severe head and facial injuries, and lost her right arm.
Despite this blow of fate – which would have driven many to despair – Irma never gave up. Although there was no doctor in her home country who could have helped her, she found a way out. From Kenya, she was transferred directly to the Bogenhausen Hospital in Munich, where she was treated by Professor Milomir Ninkovic. Professor Ninkovic, the world-renowned expert in plastic surgery, operated on Irma more than 20 times over the course of several months. It wasn't until a year and a half after the serious accident and the lengthy treatment in Munich that Irma was able to return to her homeland for the first time. From there, she has to return to Professor Ninkovic every two to three months for further operations.
At the Bogenhausen Hospital, Irma received more than just medical care. Here, she began what can be described as the success story of a young, powerful woman who never gives up. During her stay in the hospital, she not only learned German but also completed all of her exams at the University of Sarajevo from the hospital – via Skype. She also trained her left hand to type on a computer because she wanted to submit her master's thesis as quickly as possible.
Two years after the fatal accident in Kenya, Irma successfully completed her 100-page master's thesis and received a Master's degree in Banking and Insurance.
Today, Irma works at the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO) in Sarajevo on a project that promotes inclusive labor market practices.
Irma still has to undergo further surgeries. But she has already proven what a remarkable person she is, achieving everything she sets her mind to. Her dream is a bionic arm prosthesis. The Center for Bionic Reconstruction in Vienna specializes in such prostheses that can be controlled by brain activity. With such a prosthesis, Irma could lead a nearly normal life again.
In August 2011, Irma traveled to Kenya for an international conference organized by the youth organization AIESEC. This acronym has stood for "Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales" since its founding in 1948 by economics students. Soon after its founding, however, AIESEC's approach expanded to include other academic fields. Today, it is the world's largest student organization, whose goal is to promote international understanding and global thinking. It also aims to train young students to become leaders in management with an understanding of human interaction.
These preliminary remarks are important for understanding Irma Bejdic. Irma has a very clear view of the world, the role she wants to play in it, and thereby change it for the better.
When she traveled to Kenya, she had almost finished her studies. In some ways, this trip was the culmination of her graduation, which she intended to complete upon her return. The tour combined Irma's curiosity about other cultures with her interest in social work.
Unfortunately, this trip also became the turning point of her life.
On one of the research tours through Kenya, the bus carrying the students, including Irma, crashed and caught fire. One student was killed in the accident, and Irma herself suffered severe head and facial injuries, and lost her right arm.
Despite this blow of fate – which would have driven many to despair – Irma never gave up. Although there was no doctor in her home country who could have helped her, she found a way out. From Kenya, she was transferred directly to the Bogenhausen Hospital in Munich, where she was treated by Professor Milomir Ninkovic. Professor Ninkovic, the world-renowned expert in plastic surgery, operated on Irma more than 20 times over the course of several months. It wasn't until a year and a half after the serious accident and the lengthy treatment in Munich that Irma was able to return to her homeland for the first time. From there, she has to return to Professor Ninkovic every two to three months for further operations.
At the Bogenhausen Hospital, Irma received more than just medical care. Here, she began what can be described as the success story of a young, powerful woman who never gives up. During her stay in the hospital, she not only learned German but also completed all of her exams at the University of Sarajevo from the hospital – via Skype. She also trained her left hand to type on a computer because she wanted to submit her master's thesis as quickly as possible.
Two years after the fatal accident in Kenya, Irma successfully completed her 100-page master's thesis and received a Master's degree in Banking and Insurance.
Today, Irma works at the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO) in Sarajevo on a project that promotes inclusive labor market practices.
Irma still has to undergo further surgeries. But she has already proven what a remarkable person she is, achieving everything she sets her mind to. Her dream is a bionic arm prosthesis. The Center for Bionic Reconstruction in Vienna specializes in such prostheses that can be controlled by brain activity. With such a prosthesis, Irma could lead a nearly normal life again.
Elbek from Uzbekistan
Elbeck spent the weekend with his grandparents.
His grandmother was cooking dinner when the gas cylinder on the stove exploded.
Both grandparents died in the explosion, and the house was almost completely destroyed. Elbeck survived with severe injuries and received emergency treatment.
His face, hands, and feet were severely damaged by the accident. The doctors of the VFBB e.V. team will give him a new face, and he will regain the use of his hands and feet after the operations.
Elbek's treatment is being carried out in cooperation with Friedensdorf International.
His grandmother was cooking dinner when the gas cylinder on the stove exploded.
Both grandparents died in the explosion, and the house was almost completely destroyed. Elbeck survived with severe injuries and received emergency treatment.
His face, hands, and feet were severely damaged by the accident. The doctors of the VFBB e.V. team will give him a new face, and he will regain the use of his hands and feet after the operations.
Elbek's treatment is being carried out in cooperation with Friedensdorf International.
Meha from Bosnia
Twelve-year-old Meha is a very playful, lively boy who loves to carve wood.
He was with his girlfriend in a barn next to his parents' house and wanted to engrave her name on a piece of wood.
He misspelled a letter and tried to correct it using gasoline and a Bunsen burner. He underestimated the combination of gasoline and fire. The barn caught fire in no time and was ablaze in no time. The girl, who was standing at the exit, ran away screaming.
Meha became frightened by the speed and extent of the fire and retreated deeper into the room.
This was his downfall. There was no escape for him, as there was only one exit, and it was full of flames. Instinctively, he tried to protect his face with his hands.
By the time neighbors heard his screams and were able to rescue him from the flames, he had already sustained severe injuries all over his body.
The request for help was submitted to the VFBB e.V., and Professor Ninkovic and his team of doctors will treat little Meha.
In order to cover the entire treatment costs, including Meha's rehabilitation measures (estimated at €35,000), we are hoping for your empathy and thus for donations to enable Meha to live independently again.
He was with his girlfriend in a barn next to his parents' house and wanted to engrave her name on a piece of wood.
He misspelled a letter and tried to correct it using gasoline and a Bunsen burner. He underestimated the combination of gasoline and fire. The barn caught fire in no time and was ablaze in no time. The girl, who was standing at the exit, ran away screaming.
Meha became frightened by the speed and extent of the fire and retreated deeper into the room.
This was his downfall. There was no escape for him, as there was only one exit, and it was full of flames. Instinctively, he tried to protect his face with his hands.
By the time neighbors heard his screams and were able to rescue him from the flames, he had already sustained severe injuries all over his body.
The request for help was submitted to the VFBB e.V., and Professor Ninkovic and his team of doctors will treat little Meha.
In order to cover the entire treatment costs, including Meha's rehabilitation measures (estimated at €35,000), we are hoping for your empathy and thus for donations to enable Meha to live independently again.
Mutaman from Sudan
In February 2017, Mutaman was seeing off friends at the airport flying back to Sudan from Libya. On the return journey, he was attacked by three Arabic-speaking men. They beat him, shot him, seriously injured him, and robbed him. Before leaving the remote scene of the crime, the perpetrators poured battery acid over Mutaman's head. Mutaman survived this brutal attack, severely injured. It took almost an hour for anyone to find him in his condition. During this time, the acid had already caused devastating injuries to Mutaman's face, eyes, and chest. Finally, but much too late, Mutaman was able to receive at least emergency treatment in the hospital.
His family in Sudan was informed, and they brought Mutaman back home. He has been living with his family in Sudan ever since. The battery acid severely damaged his eyes and burned his eyelids. To prevent his eyes from drying out, doctors performed an emergency operation to transplant skin from his thigh over Mutaman's eyes. Mutaman can no longer see, but can only distinguish between light and dark. His mouth and nose are completely burned, so he is barely able to eat or drink. Even something as simple as breathing is a huge problem for him.
The doctors in Sudan were unable to help him further. Medical care in the northeast African republic is far from equipped to handle complex plastic surgery. However, in Mutaman's case, this is urgently needed. All his hope now rests on Professor Ninkovic, his team of doctors at the Bogenhausen Hospital, and the VFBB e.V. (German Sports Association).
The cost of Mutaman's surgery will be approximately EUR 100,000.
Please support Mutaman's treatment with your donation so that he, too, can lead a life of dignity again.
His family in Sudan was informed, and they brought Mutaman back home. He has been living with his family in Sudan ever since. The battery acid severely damaged his eyes and burned his eyelids. To prevent his eyes from drying out, doctors performed an emergency operation to transplant skin from his thigh over Mutaman's eyes. Mutaman can no longer see, but can only distinguish between light and dark. His mouth and nose are completely burned, so he is barely able to eat or drink. Even something as simple as breathing is a huge problem for him.
The doctors in Sudan were unable to help him further. Medical care in the northeast African republic is far from equipped to handle complex plastic surgery. However, in Mutaman's case, this is urgently needed. All his hope now rests on Professor Ninkovic, his team of doctors at the Bogenhausen Hospital, and the VFBB e.V. (German Sports Association).
The cost of Mutaman's surgery will be approximately EUR 100,000.
Please support Mutaman's treatment with your donation so that he, too, can lead a life of dignity again.
Basmane from Benin
Horrible Stories with Happy Endings
It's always the little things that can change a life. For better. Or for worse. When two little girls cook together. If they do that in Germany, it can happen that they accidentally touch the stove. It really hurts. A doctor treats the injury. Everything turns out fine.
This happened to nine-year-old Basmane in Benin, West Africa. She doesn't cook on a stovetop or an induction cooktop, but rather over an open fire. A few weeks ago, preparing food became a nightmare for Basmane. Her dress caught fire. It ablaze before her mother could extinguish the flames. Basmane was burned almost all over her body. The doctor's diagnosis: She is at high risk of sepsis because her extensively burned skin has become a gateway for all kinds of pathogens that penetrate the blood vessel walls and thus enter the systemic circulation. In addition, the immune systems of burn victims like little Basmane are severely compromised. In Benin, Basmane receives initial treatment, but nothing more. Her life remains in acute danger due to the risk of sepsis. What's important is treatment in sterile rooms, pain management, and timely excision—removal of the burned skin and its replacement. This is impossible in her home country.
A race against time begins.
There is hope. A family friend of Basmane's lives in Munich. This could be Basmane's luck. Despite her acute burns, the Munich doctors, led by Dr. Carsten Krohn, Senior Consultant at the Department of Pediatric Surgery and Head of the Severe Burn Unit for Children at Munich Schwabing Hospital, decided to bring Basmane to Germany. Only here, they knew, did Basmane have a chance of survival. Here she would receive the help she needed to live a life free of pain. In a lightning-fast operation, the Munich friends managed to fly the little girl to the Bavarian capital.
On March 25, 2018, a plane landed at Munich Airport. Inside was a brave, pain-stricken nine-year-old. She now faced a marathon of treatment. But it would change her life again – for the better. The medical treatment would last months, perhaps a year.
Dr. Krohn was able to cover a large portion of the high costs of treating Basmane in the hospital through a generous donation from the Lichtblicke Foundation.
Despite this generous donation from the Lichtblicke Foundation, support from the VFBB (German Football Association) was also required for the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase following the acute care.
After six months of intensive treatment, Basmane was sufficiently recovered to be able to fly home for the time being.
We were able to accommodate her at the Bethleem School in Benin to ensure her education. The host parents from Munich are covering the costs.
However, Basmane must return in a year for her final treatment!
Further donations for this would be a tremendous help.
With these donations, a little girl will be helped to overcome her traumatic suffering, giving her every „chance“ to lead a normal life without pain again.
It's always the little things that can change a life. For better. Or for worse. When two little girls cook together. If they do that in Germany, it can happen that they accidentally touch the stove. It really hurts. A doctor treats the injury. Everything turns out fine.
This happened to nine-year-old Basmane in Benin, West Africa. She doesn't cook on a stovetop or an induction cooktop, but rather over an open fire. A few weeks ago, preparing food became a nightmare for Basmane. Her dress caught fire. It ablaze before her mother could extinguish the flames. Basmane was burned almost all over her body. The doctor's diagnosis: She is at high risk of sepsis because her extensively burned skin has become a gateway for all kinds of pathogens that penetrate the blood vessel walls and thus enter the systemic circulation. In addition, the immune systems of burn victims like little Basmane are severely compromised. In Benin, Basmane receives initial treatment, but nothing more. Her life remains in acute danger due to the risk of sepsis. What's important is treatment in sterile rooms, pain management, and timely excision—removal of the burned skin and its replacement. This is impossible in her home country.
A race against time begins.
There is hope. A family friend of Basmane's lives in Munich. This could be Basmane's luck. Despite her acute burns, the Munich doctors, led by Dr. Carsten Krohn, Senior Consultant at the Department of Pediatric Surgery and Head of the Severe Burn Unit for Children at Munich Schwabing Hospital, decided to bring Basmane to Germany. Only here, they knew, did Basmane have a chance of survival. Here she would receive the help she needed to live a life free of pain. In a lightning-fast operation, the Munich friends managed to fly the little girl to the Bavarian capital.
On March 25, 2018, a plane landed at Munich Airport. Inside was a brave, pain-stricken nine-year-old. She now faced a marathon of treatment. But it would change her life again – for the better. The medical treatment would last months, perhaps a year.
Dr. Krohn was able to cover a large portion of the high costs of treating Basmane in the hospital through a generous donation from the Lichtblicke Foundation.
Despite this generous donation from the Lichtblicke Foundation, support from the VFBB (German Football Association) was also required for the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase following the acute care.
After six months of intensive treatment, Basmane was sufficiently recovered to be able to fly home for the time being.
We were able to accommodate her at the Bethleem School in Benin to ensure her education. The host parents from Munich are covering the costs.
However, Basmane must return in a year for her final treatment!
Further donations for this would be a tremendous help.
With these donations, a little girl will be helped to overcome her traumatic suffering, giving her every „chance“ to lead a normal life without pain again.
Belques from Yemen
The five-year-old girl from Taiz, Yemen, was sitting next to an open fire. A sudden, strong gust of wind set the child's clothing ablaze in seconds. Little Belques suffered severe burns on her face and extensive burns on her chest and back.
After a miserable initial treatment with ointments, a split-skin graft was performed at a local clinic far too late. However, her parents' hopes were not fulfilled; the operations were unsuccessful, and Belques continued to suffer from painful scar contractions. She could no longer lift her head or close her mouth. The emotional anguish caused by the disfiguring scars is also indescribable.
The VFBB e.V. learned of this extremely tragic accident in 2014 and funded more than a dozen surgeries over two years, which have now fortunately ensured lasting success. The spirited and intelligent Belques was lovingly cared for by a Munich host family throughout the entire treatment and is now back with her parents.
After a miserable initial treatment with ointments, a split-skin graft was performed at a local clinic far too late. However, her parents' hopes were not fulfilled; the operations were unsuccessful, and Belques continued to suffer from painful scar contractions. She could no longer lift her head or close her mouth. The emotional anguish caused by the disfiguring scars is also indescribable.
The VFBB e.V. learned of this extremely tragic accident in 2014 and funded more than a dozen surgeries over two years, which have now fortunately ensured lasting success. The spirited and intelligent Belques was lovingly cared for by a Munich host family throughout the entire treatment and is now back with her parents.
Glenda from Ghana
Glenda from Ghana learned how quickly an everyday story can turn into a personal drama. The five-year-old was returning from shopping with her mother. She heard her little dog barking and ran to greet it. As she turned a corner, however, it wasn't just her dog that met her. She collided with her sister, who was holding a pot of boiling water. The water poured over Glenda in the collision. The result was clear to the treating doctors:
The burns to her head, chest, and back are so severe that the child cannot grow any further without surgery because the completely scarred skin no longer has the capacity to grow with her.
In Ghana, Glenda's father was alerted to Professor Ninkovic and the VFBB e.V. by staff at the local hospital and asked for help via email. He received a positive response: Professor Ninkovic would treat Glenda's horrific mutilations over several operations, free of charge. Nevertheless, the total costs of €20,000 to €30,000 quickly accumulated, which VFBB e.V. had to finance through donations.
After four months, Professor Ninkovic's medical team had done an excellent job. Glenda's most serious injuries have been treated, and she will now fly back to Ghana with her mother. The necessary follow-up surgeries will be performed in one to two years.
This is subject to VFBB e.V. receiving sufficient donations to finance the surgeries.
The burns to her head, chest, and back are so severe that the child cannot grow any further without surgery because the completely scarred skin no longer has the capacity to grow with her.
In Ghana, Glenda's father was alerted to Professor Ninkovic and the VFBB e.V. by staff at the local hospital and asked for help via email. He received a positive response: Professor Ninkovic would treat Glenda's horrific mutilations over several operations, free of charge. Nevertheless, the total costs of €20,000 to €30,000 quickly accumulated, which VFBB e.V. had to finance through donations.
After four months, Professor Ninkovic's medical team had done an excellent job. Glenda's most serious injuries have been treated, and she will now fly back to Ghana with her mother. The necessary follow-up surgeries will be performed in one to two years.
This is subject to VFBB e.V. receiving sufficient donations to finance the surgeries.
Jabbar aus dem Irak
VFBB e.V. and the medical team led by Professor Ninkovic don't yet know much about Jabbar, now five years old from Iraq, because they only recently learned of his fate. Once again, the accident took its course in a kitchen. The then four-year-old was fiddling around in the kitchen unnoticed for a moment and grabbed a pan of hot fat from the stove, which then spilled all over Jabbar's body.
Here, too, the doctors' diagnosis is dire for the little boy:
Due to the extremely severe scarring, he will no longer be able to lift his head normally without surgery. Furthermore, due to the severe injuries to his legs, Jabbar will never be able to walk without pain again, let alone stand upright, without medical intervention. The Munich doctors were able to help him, too.
After four operations, Jabbar was able to recover to the extent that he no longer feels pain and can go back to school without being teased by his classmates about his scars.
Because Jabbar is still very young, only the most important surgeries could be performed on him for now. He will return to Munich in two years for the remaining procedures. With the help of your donations to VFBB e.V., he will hopefully be able to leave the hospital happy again.
Here, too, the doctors' diagnosis is dire for the little boy:
Due to the extremely severe scarring, he will no longer be able to lift his head normally without surgery. Furthermore, due to the severe injuries to his legs, Jabbar will never be able to walk without pain again, let alone stand upright, without medical intervention. The Munich doctors were able to help him, too.
After four operations, Jabbar was able to recover to the extent that he no longer feels pain and can go back to school without being teased by his classmates about his scars.
Because Jabbar is still very young, only the most important surgeries could be performed on him for now. He will return to Munich in two years for the remaining procedures. With the help of your donations to VFBB e.V., he will hopefully be able to leave the hospital happy again.
Sule from Ghana 2013
Sule is a 6-year-old boy from Ghana who, due to his parents' poverty, had to live with an aunt. When he was three years old, her aunt sent him to buy coal. When he lost the coin on the way and returned home without any, his abusive aunt dragged his small hands and feet into an open fire as punishment, until they were completely charred into lumps.
Since the age of five, Sule has been treated by Professor Ninkovic. Through numerous operations, he and his team of specialists succeeded in reconstructing fingers from the charred lumps of his hands.
Thanks to the doctors' skills, Sule is now able to master everyday childhood activities without outside help and is able to use his new fingers so skillfully that he will be able to use them to earn his own living later in life.
Sule is a bright, intelligent, and clever boy. He attends school in Ghana, is among the top students in his class, and wants to become a journalist. He maintains regular contact with Professor Ninkovic and is looking forward to returning to Munich, as the treatments must continue. VFBB e.V. urgently needs generous donors to continue this.
Since the age of five, Sule has been treated by Professor Ninkovic. Through numerous operations, he and his team of specialists succeeded in reconstructing fingers from the charred lumps of his hands.
Thanks to the doctors' skills, Sule is now able to master everyday childhood activities without outside help and is able to use his new fingers so skillfully that he will be able to use them to earn his own living later in life.
Sule is a bright, intelligent, and clever boy. He attends school in Ghana, is among the top students in his class, and wants to become a journalist. He maintains regular contact with Professor Ninkovic and is looking forward to returning to Munich, as the treatments must continue. VFBB e.V. urgently needs generous donors to continue this.
Sule from Ghana 2023
Ten years after his first treatment by VFBB e.V., Sule came back to us to have his fingers successfully lengthened by Prof. Dr. med. univ. Ninkovic.
Bibi from Afghanistan
(Video)
Bibi (10 years old) came to Dr. Krohn's clinic in Munich via the Friedensdorf (Peace Village).
In an electrical accident, Bibi suffered severe burns all over her body. Out of respect for the girl, we cannot show any pictures. What we are pleased to share, however, is that Bibi is happy again after four major surgeries.
The pain and disfiguring scars were largely eliminated. The function of her arm was restored, and Bibi can return home.
In an electrical accident, Bibi suffered severe burns all over her body. Out of respect for the girl, we cannot show any pictures. What we are pleased to share, however, is that Bibi is happy again after four major surgeries.
The pain and disfiguring scars were largely eliminated. The function of her arm was restored, and Bibi can return home.
Valentina from Kosovo
What words can describe 27 unsuccessful surgeries? A burned face, a hairless head, an injured eye, fainting spells due to the painful scars, traumatized mental anguish, and... and... and... and...
But after numerous disappointments, finally, a glimmer of hope. The VFBB (Association of German Psychologists) became aware of Valentina's fate. Its first chairman, Professor Ninkovic, was immediately willing to help without reservation.
The first surgery at the Bogenhausen Clinic took place in September 2013. After a long journey and 12 further surgeries, Valentina was able to see her new face and her own hair spread all over her head in the mirror in December 2015. However, further eye procedures were still pending. Professor Ninkovic was confident that all operations would be completed by 2018.
Since Valentina is penniless, the medical team under Professor Ninkovic worked without remuneration. However, hospital costs and nursing staff had to be paid. The costs for this were financed by the VFBB e.V. through donations.
Of course, the VFBB e.V. was only able to accomplish this thanks to the ongoing support of generous donors. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude.
But after numerous disappointments, finally, a glimmer of hope. The VFBB (Association of German Psychologists) became aware of Valentina's fate. Its first chairman, Professor Ninkovic, was immediately willing to help without reservation.
The first surgery at the Bogenhausen Clinic took place in September 2013. After a long journey and 12 further surgeries, Valentina was able to see her new face and her own hair spread all over her head in the mirror in December 2015. However, further eye procedures were still pending. Professor Ninkovic was confident that all operations would be completed by 2018.
Since Valentina is penniless, the medical team under Professor Ninkovic worked without remuneration. However, hospital costs and nursing staff had to be paid. The costs for this were financed by the VFBB e.V. through donations.
Of course, the VFBB e.V. was only able to accomplish this thanks to the ongoing support of generous donors. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude.
Maha and Nabil from Gaza
After the horrific bombings in Gaza, five-year-old Nabil and two other children simply wanted to play together for the first time in a long time. This proved to be their downfall. An unexploded bomb exploded, and the children were seriously injured. Maha, then 14, was sent to supervise the three children and arrived at the exact moment the explosion occurred.
VFBB e.V. was able to raise the necessary treatment costs of approximately €35,000 for Nabil. But our reserves were insufficient for Maha, as that would also amount to approximately €30,000. The girl's suffering was naturally all the greater when she learned that all the children except her were being treated. It was only because of her helpful supervision that she was so severely injured and now had to bear her fate alone.
Maha's tears resonated deeply with us. But our requests for donations touched hearts and did not go unheard. With the help of two major donors and many smaller private donations, we were finally able to help Maha as well.
The children will certainly never forget their time in Munich, which they were able to spend in loving care at Haus Hildegard (www.skf-muenchen.de). After many weeks, we were able to send them home with excellent medical care.
If the children receive permission to leave the country again, the treatment will continue. VFBB e.V. urgently needs more generous donors for this.
Summer 2017 – With your help, we did it!
Nabil and Maha from Gaza are back home!
VFBB e.V. was able to raise the necessary treatment costs of approximately €35,000 for Nabil. But our reserves were insufficient for Maha, as that would also amount to approximately €30,000. The girl's suffering was naturally all the greater when she learned that all the children except her were being treated. It was only because of her helpful supervision that she was so severely injured and now had to bear her fate alone.
Maha's tears resonated deeply with us. But our requests for donations touched hearts and did not go unheard. With the help of two major donors and many smaller private donations, we were finally able to help Maha as well.
The children will certainly never forget their time in Munich, which they were able to spend in loving care at Haus Hildegard (www.skf-muenchen.de). After many weeks, we were able to send them home with excellent medical care.
If the children receive permission to leave the country again, the treatment will continue. VFBB e.V. urgently needs more generous donors for this.
Summer 2017 – With your help, we did it!
Nabil and Maha from Gaza are back home!
Sherkhon from Uzbekistan
In rural Uzbekistan, it is common to heat homes with coal and wood. Special pits are provided for disposing of the embers.
Sherkhon tripped and fell into one of these pits, directly onto the hot embers.
It took several minutes to free him.
This time was enough to cause excruciatingly painful burns from his stomach down.
Sherkhon's treatment was carried out in cooperation with Friedensdorf International.
Sherkhon tripped and fell into one of these pits, directly onto the hot embers.
It took several minutes to free him.
This time was enough to cause excruciatingly painful burns from his stomach down.
Sherkhon's treatment was carried out in cooperation with Friedensdorf International.
Anna from the Philippines
Anna received a new dress from her aunt on her eighth birthday.
That evening, the family was celebrating with Anna when the lights suddenly went out.
Her mother fetched two traditional coconut shell lamps and lit them, with Anna's help. Her hair caught fire, and Anna's face and ear were burned.
Although her mother was able to extinguish the fire in her hair, it had already spread to her new nylon dress.
As a result, Anna suffered further severe burns on her arms and chest.
Since the family couldn't afford hospitalization, Anna's wounds were treated only with traditional aloe vera paste.
Over the years, the scars developed such severe contractures that Anna could no longer stretch her arms and could barely do any work. Opening her mouth was almost impossible.
For a Filipino woman who relies on finding a husband, such a disfigurement is a catastrophe.
In her search for help, Anna found VFBB e.V. and our doctors were actually able to help her with the help of donors.
That evening, the family was celebrating with Anna when the lights suddenly went out.
Her mother fetched two traditional coconut shell lamps and lit them, with Anna's help. Her hair caught fire, and Anna's face and ear were burned.
Although her mother was able to extinguish the fire in her hair, it had already spread to her new nylon dress.
As a result, Anna suffered further severe burns on her arms and chest.
Since the family couldn't afford hospitalization, Anna's wounds were treated only with traditional aloe vera paste.
Over the years, the scars developed such severe contractures that Anna could no longer stretch her arms and could barely do any work. Opening her mouth was almost impossible.
For a Filipino woman who relies on finding a husband, such a disfigurement is a catastrophe.
In her search for help, Anna found VFBB e.V. and our doctors were actually able to help her with the help of donors.
Roziya from Uzbekistan
Roziya is an 8-year-old Uzbek girl who suffered third-degree burns to the backs of both hands and feet, as well as to the left side of her face, in a domestic accident in 2021. There is no specialized burn care in Uzbekistan, especially not for children. They have successfully healed the wounds. However, as a result of the burns, she now has grotesque scar contractures that pull all of her fingers and toes toward the backs of her hands and feet. Roziya is no longer able to grip, nor can she fit into ready-made shoes, and has difficulty walking.
It is possible to restore the function of her hands and feet, but this requires major operations with full-thickness skin grafts for each extremity. The skin will be harvested from the groin region. This requires at least two operations lasting several hours, which must be performed several months apart, depending on the healing process. Minor corrective surgeries will follow.
It is possible to restore the function of her hands and feet, but this requires major operations with full-thickness skin grafts for each extremity. The skin will be harvested from the groin region. This requires at least two operations lasting several hours, which must be performed several months apart, depending on the healing process. Minor corrective surgeries will follow.
Mohamed from Egypt
Like most children, Mohamed helped with the mango harvest.
The remains of the plants are burned.
As Mohamed walked across the field, he didn't realize there were still smoldering embers in small pits.
He fell into one, and that short time was enough to cause severe burns on his small feet.
Dr. Krohn and his team were able to successfully operate on Mohamed! His feet will grow normally! Now he can play around with the other children again without pain!
The remains of the plants are burned.
As Mohamed walked across the field, he didn't realize there were still smoldering embers in small pits.
He fell into one, and that short time was enough to cause severe burns on his small feet.
Dr. Krohn and his team were able to successfully operate on Mohamed! His feet will grow normally! Now he can play around with the other children again without pain!
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