Burn survivor Tim Haslam and his wife Sally were recently featured on ABC Landline (Sunday 12 April 2026), sharing their experience of life on the land and the moment their lives changed in an instant.
On 20 December 2023, while harvesting on his farm, a header fire took hold. In the moments that followed, Tim sustained life-threatening burns to 38% of his body, including his arms, legs, and hands.
Tim’s story offers a powerful insight into the realities of working in rural environments, where the risk of fire is ever present and incidents can have far-reaching impacts on individuals, families, and communities.
Following weeks in intensive care, ongoing treatment, and the support of the Burns Service of Western Australia, alongside his family and community, Tim has continued his recovery and returned to farm life.
Now, Tim is using his lived experience to make a difference.
As Chair of our Horizon’s agri-taskforce, Tim is working in partnership with the Fiona Wood Foundation to support the Farming Collective, an initiative that brings the agricultural community together to support the future of burns research. Through the collective, growers can contribute by donating a portion of their harvest to the Fiona Wood Foundation’s grower account, directly supporting the Research Innovation Fund.
This support helps ensure that research continues to translate into meaningful improvements in treatment, recovery, and long-term care for people affected by burn injury, now and into the future.
To learn more about the Farming Collective and how you can get involved please click here.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to watch Tim and Sally’s story, you can view the full feature on ABC iview.