Wendy Marston, Co-founder of BVS-Nepal, has been awarded a British Empire Medal by Her Majesty The Queen in the Birthday Honors List 2015 for her services to survivors of burns in Nepal.

According to a press release issued by British Embassy, Marston came to Nepal 37 years ago.  Her firsthand experience of burn injuries in Nepal led Marston to work tirelessly to help improve the quality and provision of burns care.

In 2008,Marston helped establish BVS-Nepal. The charity is dedicated to providing support for survivors of burns, and aims to ensure that the best possible care and treatment is available to them. BVS-Nepal provides medical treatment, counselling, physiotherapy and nutritional support to burns patients. It also provides recreational activities for the children in the burn ward at Kanti Children’s Hospital.

Over the years Marston has shown selfless dedication to supporting burns victims. With the support of her family, she has conducted extensive fundraising and awareness raising programs. Marston has been personally involved in the care of many burn patients.  The charity she helped to establish works alongside a range of partner organizations to rehabilitate survivors of burns violence through an integrated and holistic approach, helping survivors live empowered and fulfilling lives with dignity.  Through training courses, radio, street drama and other outreach BVS-Nepal also aims to prevent and diminish the occurrence of burns in Nepal.

In 2013 BVS-Nepal provided 795 nutrition baskets, helped more than 110 patients receive daily counselling, ensured 82 survivors received physiotherapy, and funded plastic and reconstructive surgery to 65 severely burned patients.  BVS-Nepal is working in 12 hospitals across Nepal.  With approximately 56,000 people suffering burn injuries every year in Nepal, and only some 20 plastic surgeons for a population of 28 million, there remains much to do.

BVS-Nepal has now established itself as the only NGO for burns patients in Nepal and consists of a small team of competent and motivated young people dedicated to alleviating this very serious health issue.