Just Like You

Just Like You is a photo essay and short stories of the lives of burn survivors.

Although the amazing people featured in this book may not look like you, they are more like you than you might think. This book was created by the Visual Storytelling Class at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California, and was the brainchild of Maren Jacobson, one of the students in this class, that is also a burn thrive. After being burned on over 40 percent of her body when she was 2, she has always wanted to get the message out that just because someone looks different, they are Just Like You. This book took over 2 years to complete and was a labor of love for these dedicated students. It is our hope that the creativity woven throughout this book will be an inspiration to each reader and open the eyes of many.

WHEN MAREN WAS TWO YEARS OLD, SHE WANTED TO MAKE MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH HER DAD. IN A PIVOTAL MOMENT, SHE ACCIDENTALLY POURED AN ENTIRE POT OF BOILING WATER ONTO HERSELF. SHE WAS BURNED ON 40 PERCENT OF HER BODY, INCLUDING HER HEAD, FACE, HANDS, ARMS, TORSO, AND LEGS. THE THREE WEEKS OF TREATMENT THAT FOLLOWED INCLUDED MANY PAINFUL SURGERIES, COMPLICATIONS AND AN INFECTION DIAGNOSIS THAT NEARLY KILLED HER. EVEN TODAY, MAREN STILL RECEIVES LASER TREATMENTS ON HER CHIN. ONCE MAREN MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVED HER PHYSICAL INJURIES, SHE BEGAN TO TEND TO HER EMOTIONAL INJURIES. SHE WAS INSECURE ABOUT HER SCARS, AND SHE TRIED TO COVER THEM UP WITH LONG SLEEVES AND PANTS. MAREN OVERCAME THESE SCARS BY DISCOVERING HER PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED HER WITH A CREATIVE OUTLET, SOMETHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO. MOST IMPORTANTLY, PHOTOGRAPHY HELPED MAREN FIND PURPOSE. Now, HER GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE REPRESENTATION OF MINORITY POPULATIONS-LIKE BURN SURVIVORS-IN THE MEDIA. INSTEAD OF ALLOWING HER BURNS TO BE THE MASTER OF HER LIFE, MAREN USES THEM TO SERVE OTHERS AND HERSELF.