Dr. Joseph M. Still, Jr. was a giant of a man, with a vision that matched his size.   Like Noah, who built an ark before rain was forecasted, Dr. Still imagined a world class burn center before a burn unit existed in Augusta.  He frequently jotted down his thoughts on a napkin or the nearest piece of paper, capturing ideas and sketching diagrams. Today, many of those ideas, like Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation, thrive.

In 1978, while practicing medicine at Doctors Hospital, then known as Humana Hospital, Dr. Still saw the need to create a burn unit when a burn patient was admitted after other hospitals declined the referral because none were equipped to treat a burn patient.

Dr. Still convinced the hospital administration to designate one burn bed in ICU. By 1985, the Joseph M. Still Burn Center was a 25-bed self-contained unit, modeling excellence with its multi-disciplined level of care to burn patients. Prior to his death in 2006, the Burn Center had expanded to 58 beds and his vision continued under the leadership of Dr. Robert F. Mullins.

Today, the newly built Burn Center has 70 beds, making it one of the largest burn centers in the country, serving over 2,000 patients annually. A star in the floor of the new Burn Center commemorates the work of the founder and the lives he touched over three decades.

With patients arriving from throughout the United States, Dr. Still recognized the need to provide resources such as lodging and food for their families, so he founded Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation in 1988. Dr. Still once commented, "A husband can get burned and come to our burn unit and stay here three months. His wife comes too, but she can't afford to stay here three months. But she's an important part of his recovery and we want her here. So the Burn Foundation provides her room - and board - at no cost."

Dr. Still's dream and his legacy live on. The Burn Foundation is home to the Shirley Badke Retreat which includes the Hermann Orlet Garden of Hope, the Jeffrey Vaden Chavis House, and our business office. Nearly 1,000 guests each year are provided free lodging and meals. Transportation, medications and anti-scarring garments are also available to burn patients who need assistance when heading home.

Dr. Still and his wife, Sue, had 10 children and 18 grandchildren. One of their daughters, Susan Still Kilrain, is the second female to have piloted the space shuttle. They gave generously to many charities, and provided college scholarships for children of his employees. He is remembered fondly by his patients and co-workers.
 

"It's important that we not only save lives, but save the quality of lives for our burn patients," was the principle by which Dr. Still ran his medical practice. Though no longer with us, the legacy of Dr. Still remains strong and will continue for generations to come as the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital and the Burn Foundation continue to serve burn patients and their families.