The Roach Foundation

Restoring Hope For Burns Victims

Founded in 2014, the Roach Foundation is a project close to the hearts of the mother-and-son founders, Janet Roach and Jake Zogoolas. A 21st birthday celebration around the campfire went wrong when a lit kettle was thrown to Jake. Jake was badly burnt, suffered third-degree burns on 69% of his body with only a 35% chance of survival.

After two-and-a-half weeks of induced coma, Jake began his lengthy recovery journey of numerous surgeries, treatments and medications for pain relief. Janet was making sure that the best possible options were available for his son. These treatments were incredibly effective on his aesthetic appearance but extremely costly. During Jake’s many hospital stays, it dawned on him that many of his burns unit friends did not have the same access to the procedures he had because they were too expensive. It was certainly a very humbling realisation for Jake.

This inspired the creation of Roach Foundation, which rooted in “If we can improve the way people look, we will improve the way they feel”. The foundation devotes to assist burns patients and their families during their recovery process. Support is given by way of financial assistance or through its network of collaborators specialising in burn-related injuries and traumas.

The Assistance Is Provided Through:

Research

Roach Foundation donates a portion of the fund raised to the medical teams who carry out research in burn treatment technologies and burn injuries management.

Treatments

Roach Foundation offers burns patients 5FU injections, which are effective in improving scarring and reducing deformity. This treatment is performed in alternation with the Fractionated CO2 Laser, a non-surgical skin rejuvenation procedure.

A common treatment consists of a bi-weekly 5FU injections and a monthly Fractionated CO2 Laser session. To achieve the desired results, it is vital that the patients commit to these treatments for a minimum period of 2 years or as recommended by the dermatologist.

These treatments aim to help burns survivors improve the appearance of their scars as the foundation is a firm believer that the patients’ emotional well-being can be enhanced through the improvement of their appearance. Currently, the government funding is only available for life-saving surgeries but nothing more, particularly the aesthetics related procedures, which are extremely expensive and not all burns survivors can afford such treatments.

Mentoring

The Roach Foundation takes into account the psychological welfare of the burns survivors, especially during and after the treatment process. Support is given through the foundation’s mentoring program and covers key areas such as dealing with the effects of burn injuries. The Foundation believes that the mentoring program is crucial for the recovery progress and patients’ persistence in committing to the treatment.

Raw Essentials® Tea

The founders have also created Raw Essentials® Tea to further support their cause. During Jake’s recovery, Janet had put together two special blends of detox teas to help him feel more lifted and energised. For every tea sold, a percentage of the proceeds will go directly to the Roach Foundation towards assisting burns survivors in their recovery journey.

For more information about Roach Foundation, visit www.roachfoundation.org.au. If you would like to make a contribution or are interested to collaborate with the Roach Foundation in supporting its mission, please contact: Jake@RawEssentialsTea.com

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