Published
3 years agoon
By
Justine ChaThe region’s only Level 1 trauma center treats just a handful of accidental shooting victims a month, but they leave a lasting mark on the nurses and surgeons who care for them — especially when they’re children.
“It’s not common, but when it happens you remember the accidental injuries that involve preschool age children,” says Dr. John Bilello, chief of pediatric trauma at Community Regional Medical Center and a clinical professor of surgery at UCSF Fresno. “To me, there’s no excuse for having a 3-year-old find a gun under a mattress or in a sock drawer, because kids explore. That’s what they do.”
Dr. Bilello would prefer to never have to treat those kinds of accidents again, so he bought 150 cable gun locks to help jump-start a gun safety program through Community Medical Centers’ pediatric clinics and to emergency department patients. “I wish I could buy everyone in Fresno a gun safe, but they are very expensive,” Dr. Bilello says. “The cable locks are just a bare minimum, a firewall. But it’s better than nothing, especially with little kids.”
Community Medical Centers | 13 May 2021
Justine joined GV Wire in 2021 as the Digital Content Coordinator. She has experience in the graphic design industry where she has done freelance work for both non-profits and various local businesses. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Art with a Graphic Design option from California State University, Fresno. During her time there, she was heavily involved with the Asian American and Pacific Islanders community by volunteering in the Hmong Student Association and also working as a student writer for the Asian Pacific Review. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her younger siblings, traveling with friends, and catching the games during football season. You can contact Justine at 559-244-9192 or Send an Email