This year so far there have been some amazing fundraising events held to support DEBRA Australia.

Brighter Days have made a lovely $50,000 donation to help support various programs in place. Thank you to Steve Dundon and his wonderful committee of volunteers who make this amazing event happen each year.

The 10 day EB Cross Country Adventure ride for 2014 took in some wonderful sights on tracks from the Darling Downs in QLD to the Hunter Valley in NSW. All up $43,000 was raised, which was all made possible by a great bunch of riders, officials and our lovely sponsors and donors.  We owe a big thank you to Lyndall and John for putting on the end party at Anggatha Winery Estate which raised $12,000 on the night.  Also thank you Rob, Anja and all the officials who worked hard to make it happen. 

A successful Nutrition Seminar was held at Sydney Children’s Hospital on the 1st April which was well attended by health professionals from all over Australia.  The main guest speaker was Lynne Hubbard from the UK who has been working with patients for many years as a Senior Specialist Dietitian in EB. Topics included nutritional challenges in EB, oral care and dental aspects, use of gastrostomy tubes in EB, oesophageal strictures and case studies. The Nutrition Seminar was all made possible from a generous grant funded by the Newman Foundation.

2015

My daughter Kate was always keen on art at school and in the last three years she has attended an art group with a prominent local artist as mentor and a very special group of people who have one thing in common, painting. Kate lives with a severe type of EB and has found painting a new passion which helps her to escape the pain. 

I have always wanted to do a big fundraising event for research so what better than an art auction. I never imagined that I would have been able to collate such a large number of items, but once I started asking I ended up with just over 100 pieces of art works.

Last year in December with the assistance of Open Door Real Estate we held the auction at their yearly Christmas party. The night was great. Special people, good food, wine, music, photo booth and to top it off, a fantastic display of fireworks towards the end of the night.  
 
Throughout the night which was attended by 10 guests, we held a silent auction with 30 items and then 15 items were put up with a live auction. In all the night raised $8,437. Kate’s contribution in itself raised $970. The rest of the art pieces that we have left will be auctioned off at our next fundraiser, which is scheduled to happen in August this year.  All funds raised will go towards vital EB Research being conducted in Adelaide. 

Below: Kate’s passion for painting has helped raise much needed funds for EB Research