Scott Sweet can’t forget the accident that left him with severe burns as a child, but he’s turned the experience into an opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of burn victims through Parkland Health.

Scott is now a successful financial planner and husband to his wife, Cathy, but much of what motivates him today started when Scott was just a young boy in the second grade.

It was a Saturday when Scott went with his dad and brother to his father’s workplace at a warehouse. It was there that Scott innocently grabbed a set of wires to lift and go under them, causing a cross current when he touched the second wire — and severely burning Scott’s hand.

Though Scott didn’t know at the time, his parents went to six different surgeons before finally finding a doctor who would operate to do skin grafting. Meanwhile, he recalls his parents doing everything possible to turn the negative experience into a positive one — something he tries to echo through his philanthropy today.

Scott first became acquainted with Parkland through volunteer work he did with Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, and he became increasingly impressed by Parkland’s high-rated burn trauma center as well as its commitment to serving the community without demanding payment.

“I think they’ve just done a phenomenal job with what they’ve built there,” Scott says.

Since then, Scott and his wife, Cathy have started a donor advised fund to help families with ancillary costs during medical crises, emphasizing the importance of supporting burn victims.

“Within our own community, we’ve got this great hospital that needs donors to help support it, to help the community, particularly for the people that don’t have the resources to help themselves,” Scott says. “And I think that’s just a great opportunity.”

To learn more about Parkland’s Burn Center, click here.