Photo: DEBRA’s Radio 4 appeal, presented by Steve Rider
Radio 4’s listeners generously donated £15,305 to DEBRA’s appeal to support people suffering from the potentially fatal skin blistering condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). Even in its least severe forms EB causes lifelong disability and pain. The demands of the condition can be completely overwhelming. The money raised by the appeal is enabling DEBRA’s EB Community Support Team to provide ongoing practical, emotional and financial support to improve the quality of life for more EB sufferers and their families, as well as funding research into effective treatments and a cure.
For 30-year-old Danish, support from DEBRA has been life changing. He says:
I was living with my parents and sharing a room with my brother. We get on well, but my EB made it really difficult. The room was very hot and heat makes my EB much worse. I’m in a lot of pain and I need quiet so I can rest, something which I didn’t have. I applied to the local authority housing list to find more suitable accommodation. In 2018, when I met Sabrina, my Community Support Manager from DEBRA, I’d been on the housing list for nearly four years and was still struggling.
Sabrina changed everything. She helped me apply to be given a higher priority on medical grounds – something I didn’t know you could do. She helped me spell out the problems EB causes – something that’s really difficult when you live with the condition every day – and show why my current housing wasn’t suitable. Because of Sabrina’s support, I now have a place that meets my needs, and my skin has improved. Thanks to DEBRA, the future is looking positive.
To find out more about DEBRA please visit