DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ

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DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020
 Seasons Greetings!
 Whew – the year is nearly over. What a strange, challenging time we have all lived through in the last few months with
 Covid, lockdowns and concerns about what the future holds for everyone. I know I’m looking forward to a summer
 holiday soon, and I hope all of you have a chance to relax and unwind, have fun with family and friends, and recharge
 your batteries for what we hope will be a great year in 2021.

 A brief overview of some of the highlights of 2020 for DEBRA NZ

 Rare Disorders NZ hosted an event at Parliament on Rare Disease Day, 28 February 2020 to call for a National Rare
 Disorder Framework and launch their Fair for Rare campaign. A few of us in Wellington attended this launch to
 support the efforts of RDNZ for all families living with rare disorders. We are closely connected to the Rare Disorders
 NZ organisation with Martin Hanley continuing to be a member of their board. For more about the work of RDNZ, the
 Fair for Rare Campaign and to sign their parliamentary petition, please see their website: www.raredisorders.org.nz

 The EB skin research project in Auckland is very exciting. They can grow EB skin from a small biopsy sized sample
 and then change the genetic make-up of the skin to remove the EB. There was a story about their work on TV 1 news
 on Saturday October 31, during EB Awareness week. You can search Epidermolysis Bullosa on the 1 news website to
 see the story. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news

 Russell Gear’s research project on EB in NZ – Russell has nearly finished his study of the NZ EB community and the
 types of EB they have. Thank you to everyone who participated in his research project, funded
 by DEBRA International.

 The bandage supply system – DEBRA are now contracted to the MoH to manage this, and the first
 good outcome is having lifelong Special Authority numbers instead of the annual re-authorising for
 each person with EB. The DEBRA Nurses can now authorise access to dressings instead of this
 having to go through a Dermatologist. We’re still working on having a national supply system but
 with all the different DHBs, this is moving forward in small steps!

 Ski Camp for teens with EB was postponed this year due to uncertainty about travel restrictions,
 but this is now being planned for August 2021 in Wanaka – please see the flyer in this newsletter.

 2020 is the 40th year since DEBRA NZ was started by Jillyan Hing. We will look forward to a big
 celebration of this next year if Covid allows us to travel easily, and we look forward to seeing as
 many of you as possible to get together and congratulate Jillyan for the fantastic organisation she
 started for the families in NZ who live with the challenges of EB, and what a difference she has made
 to everyone who can now be part of this big DEBRA family.
 Happy New Year everyone!
 Anna Kemble Welch, Director
PAGE 1 | TOP 10 FAMILY HOTELS
                Greetings from Mo and Kora.
                           After 8 years, I managed to convince my husband that we NEEDED a cat.This lovely was
                           waiting for us at the SPCA, Wellington. We now sleep in all manner of strange angles and
                           have an alarm that goes off at 4:30 am demanding to be fed. She has no respect for our
                           personal space and walks over us like we are part of the furniture. And we LOVE it.

                           I hope you are all well and happy. Due to Covid I have not been able to visit my clients as
                           much as I would have liked to. Please know that I am always available for any concerns or
                           questions or even just a chat. I work 3 days a week, which are not always the same due to my
                           DHB job, but I do check my emails and phone regularly. So please feel free to get in touch,
                           and if you do need or want a visit, let me know.

                           Wishing you all a lovely and safe Christmas and New Year. ☺
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
bringing together more than 500 EB researchers, medical
                                                                         specialists, DEBRA representatives from over 40 countries,
                                                                         and some local and international families living with EB.
                                                                         We were able to get travel grants and financial support for
                                                                         accommodation       and     registrations   from     DEBRA
                                                                         International and DEBRA UK for three of our EB Nurse
                                                                         Specialists to attend, as well as Lea (standing in for Anna
                                                                         who wasn’t able to go). Along with a NZ family who have a
                                                                         child with EB (who self funded to attend) DEBRA NZ was
                                                                         well represented.

                                                                         This was an incredible experience, a lot of learning,
                                                                         sharing of our NZ experiences, an opportunity to
                                                                         contribute to developing EB Clinical Practice Guidelines,
                                                                         networking with EB experts and being connected to the
                                                                         international EB community.

EB GLOBAL                                                                The abstracts from presentations are available on the
                                                                         congress website, along with the programme and
CONGRESS IN                                                              speakers and other information about the Congress. You
                                                                         can find these here: ebworldcongress.org.

LONDON                                                                   As the world became more aware of the looming Covid
                                                                         crisis, our DEBRA team were still heading back to NZ and
The EB 2020 Global Congress combined the research conference and         thank goodness they all got home safely before travel
clinical conference that usually happen every second year in different   restrictions began.
parts of the world, with the annual DEBRA International Congress,
                                                                          https://www.debra-international.org
 At the beginning of this year, I was privileged to travel with
 my colleagues, Sharon, Jacqui and Lea, to the EB Congress in             Visit the DEBRA International website for all the latest in
 London. It was so full of information and studies that I,                EB news, research, events, health care and patient
 personally, found it a little overwhelming. I managed to catch           guides.
 up with some people that Deanna and I had previously met,
 reinforcing    international      friendships   and   working
 relationships.

 The congress covered many aspects of EB care and study.
 For hand therapy there has been a tool devised to assess the
 level of hand contracture – Assessment Contracture
 Evaluation (ACE). It also was found that there was a
 predictable course with hand contractures. This can be found
 on the Great Ormond Street Hospital website under EDEB.
 There was also a discussion about Losartan, a medicine that
 is used in the treatment of heart failure, decreasing the speed
 of mitten deformity in children with RDEB 3 – 16 years.
 Stanford University was recruiting to put protein back into
 cells where it was missing. It is not seen as a cure but more as
 a comfort measure.

 After many days of discussion and presentations, no new
 information about a potential cure was any closer. But there
 were ways to make life easier for those living with EB.

 One of the best moments in my time at the congress was
 when the Australian and New Zealand nurses were asked to
 help advise any people who had questions regarding care. I
 was with a colleague from Australia and found the interaction
 with a young woman who had been newly diagnosed with
 epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) humbling and
 rewarding. Though I was in a period of feeling like I
 understood nothing, it brought me back to why we were here.
 Sharing of information and listening to peoples’ stories does
 sink in and transpose itself into practical magic.

 Please feel free to hit up your local EB wizard (nurse) to talk
 through any questions or issues you may have.

 Mo Blishen
 EB Clinical Nurse
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
EB Community

                                                                                                   CALEB MORRIS
    LIAM BRAY-SIMPSON
                                                                                                   During the 12th and 15th of November
                                                                                                   (our Canterbury Show Weekend) my
    To say this year’s been hectic is quite possibly the understatement of the century.            family and I, along with two other
    We’ve been lucky to avoid the worst of the covid craziness here in sleepy little Mot, but      families (so 12 of us all up) walked the
    we still managed to get up to a fair bit. Our nanna, Marie, stayed for a lot longer than       Abel Tasman track. We caught the water
    was initially planned, 7 months longer in fact, thanks to covid. It’s been absolutely          taxi up to Totaranui and walked back to
    lovely having her here, and the parting was predictably teary. Torin recently started a        Marahau, camping 3 nights along the
    part time job to do alongside school, so he’s growing up faster than any of us could           way at Onetahuti, Bark Bay and
    have imagined! Mum and Dad have been working too hard as usual, and I finally got              Anchorage. We walked about 43ks all up
    around to starting a communication degree, with Massey.                                        from start to finish with a small pack
                                                                                                   each, which had our sleeping bags,
    One thing that’s shifted for me relatively recently, has been that my lifelong issue of        clothes and nibbles in it. My feet got
    recurrent corneal abrasions finally seems to have been solved, which has been                  quite sore but surprisingly I didn't get
    indescribably amazing. We heard via Sharon about the use of bandage contact lenses             any blisters! Anchorage was my favourite
    overseas, and after bringing it up at an ophthalmology appointment, I tried them, and          place to stay and I would go back and
    haven’t had a single abrasion in the many many months since we first started using             do it all again as it was awesome.
    them. I go into Nelson Hospital to have them changed every 4-6 weeks, although
    eventually I’d like to be able to just change them over myself. Getting them changed
    can be slightly uncomfortable, but once they’re in they’re almost totally invisible, and I
    can’t feel them on there at all. At first I was suitably nervous about putting something
    like that directly on my eye, but it was during a particularly bad spate of abrasions, and I
    was somewhat desperate for an alternative solution. Silver bullet fixes don’t come
    along very often, but for me, bandage contact lenses have been exactly that. I hope
    they’re as beneficial as they have been for me, for other people with EB, because not
    having the looming fear of a corneal abrasion has been incredibly freeing.

    We’re all doing well, or as well as we can in this crazy time, and looking forward to
    seeing the DEBRA family at some point in the future!

     THE RIORDAN                                                                                                 Caleb, Fynn, & Wayne Morris
     FAMILY
                                                                                                     Well done Caleb! 43 kilometres in four
     Sharon Cassidy enjoyed a                                                                        days!     The       Department         of
     home visit with the Riordan                                                                     Conservation’s difficulty rating for this
     family recently and loved                                                                       walk is ‘Intermediate’. You can see
     seeing their home decked                                                                        from the DOC map that the terrain is
     out      with      beautiful                                                                    up and down hills and includes tidal
     Christmas decorations. She
                                                                                                     crossings. An achievement for
     captured this lovely family
                                                                                                     anyone.
     photo.
                                                                                                     Tanya, Caleb and Fynn’s mum was
                                                                                                     naturally very impressed with how
                                                                                                     both her boys managed the tramp.
                                                                                                     She had been worried about damage
                                                                                                     to Caleb’s feet but using Cavilon
                                                                                                     Durable Barrier Cream, quick drying
                                                                                                     socks and Caleb’s regular sneakers
                                                                                                     seems to have done the trick.
Hannah, Louise, and Jon Riordan
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
MAY'S
                                                                    verrucous carcinoma right medial ankle, with BTM coverage
                                                                    (Biodegradable Temporising Matrix, a skin substitute).In
                                                                    February, a third surgery was required with a large area of split

EXPERIENCE OF                                                       thickness skin graft extending over much of my heel and ankle.
                                                                    Skin taken from my right thigh (donor site) took over 5 months

CARCINOMA &
                                                                    (till July 2020) to heal.

                                                                    Trouble with walking
OTHER                                                               I have calluses under my 2nd and 3rd toes, my foot is unable to
                                                                    go flat - my heel doesn’t go all the way down to the ground, with

CHALLENGES
                                                                    a 10 degree angle and significant tightness in the Achilles
                                                                    tendon. I consulted local podiatrists and later an EB expert
                                                                    podiatrist, Tariq Khan from the UK who is now based in Sydney,
                                                                    for problem solving. I’ve had opinions from three foot and ankle
                                        Please note, this article   surgeons. The 3rd opinion from Matthew Tomlinson who
                                        contains some clinical      referred me to get a scanogram which confirms a 10mm
                                        details
                                                                    difference in the length of the femurs and a 2mm difference in
                                                                    the length of the tibiae. The surgeon measured my top of talus
                                        May is in her early 50s
                                        and has RDEB, and this      (large bone in the ankle) to bottom of foot measurement today
                                        story tells of her          on x-rays and there is no difference. That gives us a total
                                        experience with finding     difference of 12mm, which is mostly in the femur. I have seen
                                        that a chronic wound        Shore Orthotics and they can do an assessment of my foot, and
                                        on her ankle had            take into account the 12mm leg length discrepancy and I hope
                                        developed into skin         make an orthotic, which will make it more comfortable for me to
                                        cancer and how this         walk. Mr Tomlinson suggested that I stick with this conservative
                                        was           managed.      regime but if my symptoms persist, I will go back to him for a
                                        Although people with        review.
                                        some types of EB are
                                        known to have a greatly     Covid with EB
                                        increased      risk   of    Living with EB always has
                                        developing squamous         its challenges and these are
                                        cell carcinoma (SCC) as     compounded when you’re
                                        they get older              in lock down. Regular
(particularly with severe RDEB but a lower increased risk with      clinical appointments were
Junctional and some other forms of Dystrophic EB), this was         pushed out, for instance my
May’s first experience of that happening. There has been a lot      five-weekly micro suction
written about EB and SCC, including DEBRA International’s Best      ear appointments were
                                                                    cancelled and oral health
Practice Guidelines. It is important to note that many EB
                                                                    reviews        with      my
subtypes, especially EB Simplex, are not associated with an
                                                                    prosthodontist         were
increased SCC risk. If you want to know more about the risks of     delayed 6 months out.
SCC, please talk to your EB Nurse Specialist.
                                                                    Family
This is May's personal account of her experiences:                  During alert level 1, my
I had planned to go to the EB World Congress 2020 in January        husband Coen is working
of this year. It would have been great to go with the DEBRA NZ      70% from home and 30% at the office. My daughter Elizabeth
team and represent both New Zealand and Malaysia. My plane          started her second year at the American University of Paris,
ticket and hotel was booked. My mother lives in Kuala Lumpur        France, majoring in Psychology, minoring in Linguistics. She is
and I was going to stopover to see her on the way.                  studying remotely at present whilst France has their
Unfortunately, EB sometimes gets in the way, even of attending      confinement.
a congress of world experts in EB! I had a hyperkeratotic lesion
on my right medial ankle. Three different dermatology               Therapeutic painting
                                                                    Even though my mobility was severely limited due to my
pathologists had confirmed that this was not SCC, but Professor
                                                                    surgeries and lock down provided social challenges, I found
Dedee Murrell, head of dermatology at St Georges Hospital,
                                                                    painting very therapeutic and continue now that I am able to be
Sydney, and conjoint professor at the University of NSW, has a      more active.
lot of experience with EB and SCC and she suggested that her
pathologist who is familiar with EB take a look at it.In August
2019, the ADHB dermatologist referred my case to Plastics
service, Counties Manukau DHB, for excision of the lesion. I was
seen by Richard Wong She, Clinical Lead, Burns Specialist in
October.The first surgery was in December for excision of the
chronic lesion. Specimen results showed verrucous carcinoma
(a well-differentiated SCC variant).
The second surgery took place in January 2020 for re-excision of

May and Lea chatting over Zoom
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
TREVICHKA
I am seventy-five years old and live in a body that
has the systems of Dystrophic Recessive
Epidermolysis Bullosa, also known as EB; it is not a
disease but a genetic disorder, genetically doing
what it’s meant to do. Not wanting get into
negatives about this as I’m sure all such like
travellers of E.B could tell their own horrific tale of
woe. Instead, I would like to pass on those things
that I feel are a great positive in life. I do not have
the cure for E.B but definitely believe I have the next
best thing.

Diet, first and foremost, is of utmost importance. I
became a vegan many years back because of my belief in not killing. After several months of being vegan the improvement to E.B
was plainly obvious. Certain types of wounds were not reoccurring. Some of the deeper wounds, the uglier deep seated scabs. No
more.

When I was 57 it was suggested to me to try flaxseed every day. Just a level soupspoon in a glass covered with hot water left to soak
overnight and consumed in the morning. Simple, no taste, dirt-cheap. Put it on cereal, porridge or just eat as is. Bingo, after three or
four months of taking daily, the benefits started to kick in. Subtly at first, like less blisters, less open wounds and as time has passed
by, the improvement has been much more obvious.

Just over 18 years ago, I was practically fully bandaged, hands, arms and legs. These days I’m down to the occasional bandage and
most periods with none. The blister factor has dropped significantly. Major really, and what’s more, the improvement is still
continuing. And of course, that which is worth mentioning is the drop in pain factor. From huge amounts of pain every or most days to
now some days and weeks are pain free.

I want to pass this positive message on to fellow individuals who live with E.B. I hope that others will benefit also. I understand that
this is not the cure and as a realist have not yearned for what is or isn’t a cure, but have always looked to improving the scenario
whenever the opportunity has presented itself. Tough journey, yes, but life’s an experience. Experience it! I hope that the years of
living with the E.B factor will not be a wasted journey and whatever one may glean from it in life, in the manner of positives, I’m all for
it. I wear no bandages now for months on end and the body displays no open wounds. Up until age 57 the body was bandaged every
day that one can remember except maybe the odd day. Now thanks to diet and flaxseed it is months bandage free and even then, it’s
just an odd one. Bandage free means pain free.

Please see next page for Trevichka's recent poetry

SOPHIA                             Time is flying! This most difficult year is nearly gone, hopefully everything will become better in
                                   2021!

&                                  Although many things were unimaginable in 2020, we still did a lot of pleasant things, especially
                                   during the Lockdown period. We are four members and had a wonderful family leisure time at

HILTON
                                   home, James has accomplished his deck and fence, I was immersing myself in cuisine creation
                                   process and my English language training online, Lucy has some fulfillment in her painting, and
                                   Hilton enjoying everything in his amazing world, please see the photos.

                                   Of course, Hilton keeps growing well, and is continuously supported by the government and
                                   DEBRA as well. So much appreciated! I heard that 2020 is the fortieth anniversary of DEBRA, but the
                                   celebration will be held next year, right? We all looking forward to this wonderful moment, and
                                   looking forward to seeing you all again! Merry Christmas is coming soon, all the best to you all!

                                   Sophia
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
Thank you Trevichka for your poetry
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
BABY
2020 CAMP SPIRIT                                                                          RHINO
                                                                                          BORN WITH
COLORADO                                                                                  EB
In February this year I attended a Winter camp in Colorado for people with RDEB in       During lock down we read about an
America. There was a great group of 10 kids and lots of staff to make the camp one to    extraordinary occurrence – a baby white
remember.                                                                                rhinoceros was born in Hamilton zoo
                                                                                         and she has EB. Her name is Zahra, and
We had an amazing time despite being the coldest week of the winter with                 she is doing very well. The EB research
temperatures in the minus’s. Days were jam packed with winter adventures including       scientists in Auckland have been in
                                                                                         touch with the zoo offering their expert
skiing, dog sled riding, snowmobiling, and a horse and sleigh ride, finishing off with
                                                                                         help to do the genetic diagnosis. We’d
smores of course.
                                                                                         love to have an event in Hamilton for
                                                                                         DEBRA families and we had hoped to
With busy days of fun and adventure, dressings and skin care was done in the             arrange something for EB awareness
afternoon/evenings. Then everyone would get together to share a meal and play some       week in late October, but Covid meant
games, do crafts and hang out. I loved seeing everyone have a boogie on our last night   this wasn’t realistic so we’ll organise a
after a large game of cards won by one of the campers.                                   get together there next year for our EB
                                                                                         children to meet baby Zahra.
I look forward to using what I learnt to help run our Winter Adventure Camp for teens
with EB in August 2021 down in the South Island in Wanaka. We also have a team of        Deanna Forsyth and her children visited
interested helpers from America that would love to join us one day when the borders      Hamilton Zoo in September to meet
open again!                                                                              Zahra. The children found them to be
                                                                                         very stinky and sleepy in the heat of the
I am very grateful to DEBRA NZ for supporting/funding my attendance and to Camp          day. Unfortunately, they were not able
                                                                                         to do the usual encounter trip due to
Spirit for welcoming me onto the team.
                                                                                         Covid.
Deanna Forsyth
EB Clinical Nurse
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
Fundraising

                                                                                  DEBRA
                                                                                  MASKS
CUPCAKE SALE                                                                      Masks are increasingly becoming part of our daily
                                                                                  lives, and probably will be for some time to come.
Emily Mason and her family’s success at holding a butterfly cupcake sale at
                                                                                  Luckily, DEBRA NZ has a selection of stylish,
Emily’s school last year inspired Sharon Cassidy to organise something
                                                                                  reusable, reversible masks, made from quality
similar this year, during International EB Awareness Week. Sharon set up a
                                                                                  cotton fabric. Patterned on one side for when you
stall at Christchurch Hospital and sold cupcakes and butterfly masks (see the
                                                                                  want to make a statement, plain on the other
pictures of our DEBRA NZ reusable face masks).
                                                                                  when you don’t. The perfect stocking filler for that
Thanks so much Sharon, this is a wonderful way of raising awareness of EB
                                                                                  person that has everything except Covid 19 and
and DEBRA NZ.
                                                                                  wishes to keep it that way.
Please keep it in mind for something similar in your local area next year.
                                                                                  Get in touch with your nurse or the office if you
                                                                                  would like some sent out to you, either for your
                                                                                  own use or as a DEBRA fundraiser with your local

NEWTOWN
                                                                                  community groups, friends and family. Suggested
                                                                                  donation of $10 per mask would be appreciated
                                                                                  but not essential.

FESTIVAL
SUNDAY, 7 MARCH 2021

 In early March every year the Newtown Festival is a major event in
 Wellington, and an opportunity to fundraise for DEBRA NZ. The festival is
 huge with over 450 stalls and 14 stages with music, dance and
 performance, and over 80,000 people come from around Wellington and
 around the country to enjoy the day with their family and friends. The
 festival is organised by Martin, Anna, Rhona Carson (Anna’s sister and
 Humphrey’s aunty), Emi (who does much of the DEBRA graphics stuff), and
 a cast of many others doing small bits of this complex multifaceted event.

 DEBRA benefits by having lots of friends and relations volunteer, from
 turning up in the early morning to be marshals, or looking after the
 performers on a stage, or helping at a chill-out zone where people can have
 a rest and a cup of tea, or many other opportunities. If anyone is going to be
 in Wellington, available on the day and interested in helping for an hour or
 2, please get in touch with Anna – 027 2717 084. It’s really fun to be part of
 making such an awesome event happen, then spend the rest of the day
 enjoying the music, food, and fun atmosphere, and the DEBRA volunteers
 help contribute to a significant donation to DEBRA NZ each year.

 Newtown Festival was the last big event in Wellington before lock-down.
 Our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was there with her family, then a week         Bob Mitchell wearing his new butterfly mask. Bob
 later she was announcing the country was going to shut borders, stop all         is selling our masks to raise funds and awareness
 travel, and we all had to go home, stay home.                                    for DEBRA NZ through his Tauranga Sunrise Lions
                                                                                  Club.
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
Donors &                                                                 DONORS &
                                                                         SPONSORS
Support                                                                  Dr Mike Kearsley

                                                                         Grateful thanks to Dr Mike Kearsley, who has recently
                                                                         returned from the UK to his home in Papamoa. During
                                                                         his time in the UK he was the Masonic Grand Orator for
                                                                         Middlesex and Prestonian lecturer. He supported
                                                                         DEBRA UK with donations from the many Masonic
                                                                         Lodges he made presentations to, and now he is back
                                                                         in New Zealand he is very generously supporting
                                                                         DEBRA NZ in the same way when he speaks to
                                                                         Masonic Lodges here. We really value this support

                                                                         Bob Mitchell

                                                                         Thanks also to Bob Mitchell, a member and long time
                                                                         supporter of DEBRA NZ who has encouraged his
                                                                         Sunrise Lions Club in Tauranga to help DEBRA NZ with
                                                                         a generous donation. We really value the kind and
                  Margy Bliss                                            generous donations from friends, family, clubs and
                                                                         businesses that help towards our goals of making life
                  A special thank you to the generous and multi          that little bit more comfortable and less of a challenge
                  talented Margy Bliss.                                  for people with EB and their families.

                  Margy has been pumping out our fundraising DEBRA
                                                                         Thank you
                  facemasks and is also one of the songbirds in Mo’s
                  crew for the Ditti’s for DEBRA concerts.               Thank you to everyone who has helped out in the past
                                                                         year, and those who plan to support DEBRA NZ in
                  Although Margy doesn’t have a family connection to     2021. Our supporters are wonderful people and we
                  EB, she is a great supporter of DEBRA NZ using her     really appreciate you and everything you do for
                  talents to fundraise and her social media profile to   DEBRA!
                  raise awareness of EB.

          DONATIONS TO DEBRA NZ
We really appreciate any and all donations & grants to help
provide services & activities like the Family Camp and
Adventure Camp for people living with EB.

Online — www.givealittle.co.nz/org/debranz

Bank transfer — DEBRA NZ Trust
ANZ, Bay Road Branch
06 0513 0192618 25

Cheque — DEBRA NZ
PO Box 7316 Newtown
Wellington 6242 New Zealand

Payroll
Ask your employer if they offer payroll giving. Your
donation to DEBRA NZ is taken out of your regular pay
before it goes into your bank account. If your donation is
more than $5, you receive a third of the donation amount
as an immediate tax rebate. More information at IRD.

Donations are tax deductible. To receive a receipt from
DEBRA NZ, please provide your name and contact details
with your cheque or via email to debra@debra.org.nz with                       Ask us for a copy of the code for your next
the amount and date of the donation.                                                        fundraising event!
DEBRA Christmas Greeting 2020 - DEBRA NZ
Keeping in Touch
                                              Did you know that there is a DEBRA NZ
                                                                                                              OFFICE
LOCK DOWN                                     Facebook page and a DEBRA NZ
                                              Members private group page?                        Anna Kemble Welch
                                                                                                            Director
                                              If you haven’t joined, you might find it                 027 2717 084
What were your experiences with lock          an interesting way to keep more in
down?                                         touch. There are over 420 people               Lea Prujean & Anna KW
                                              following the DEBRA NZ page which is              debra@debra.org.nz
It was nerve wracking trying to get PPE       open to the wider community, and
gear for the DEBRA nurses, make sure          currently 16 members in the DEBRA NZ                            NURSES
everyone who needed them had back-            Members group which is a private group
up bandage supplies in case imports           for people living with EB and those                     Jacqui Finnigan
were delayed and supplies not                 directly involved in EB care.                EB Clinical Nurse Specialist
available, and to try and find out if Covid                                                              0211 960 960
was likely to have any extra impact on                                                   jacqui.finnigan@debra.org.nz
people with EB that was worse than for
others. As far as we could find out                                                                    Sharon Cassidy
internationally, it was no worse a risk                                                    EB Clinical Nurse Specialist
except for our concern about the risk of                                                                 021 2410 447
being in a hospital environment                                                          sharon.cassidy@debra.org.nz
dedicated to Covid, isolated from EB
specialist dressings and woundcare, or                                                                    Mo Blishen
risking intubation with ventilators. No-                                                            EB Clinical Nurse
one knew what to expect. We did get off                                                               021 0233 0935
very lightly in NZ, thankfully.                                                             mo.blishen@debra.org.nz

                                                                                                    Deanna Forsyth
                                                                                                    EB Clinical Nurse
                                                                                                       021 2442 992
                                                                                         deanna.forsyth@debra.org.nz

 Christmas New Year Hours

 The DEBRA office will be closed 21 December to 11
 January, but the email address debra@debra.org.nz will
 be checked intermittently. If you need urgent attention
 and have not been able to contact one of our EB nurses
 please contact Martin Hanley, 027 4169 731.

  Newsletters are for you, our DEBRA family. We
 love to hear your stories, achievements, sorrows
      and joys, big and small, your day to day
              experiences. The lot :) !

  All contributions are very welcome. Feel free to
   send items or make suggestions about things
       that would interest you to Anna or Lea.
Teen Camp, Wanaka, New Zealand

                       WINTER 2021

   Join the DEBRA NZ team, nurses and others with EB - for a 5 day camp
                  full of fun winter adventure activities!

          Dates: (4 nights)                                  Costs:
Saturday the 21st - Wednesday the 25th         TBC - some fundraising/self funding
          of August 2021                                 will be required
                Age:                                       Activities:
      15-20ish years - campers                     2 day’s skiing at Cardrona
20-30ish years - camp helper / mentor          Visit to Puzzle World, Toy Museum,
           Accomodation:                           Horse ride or Quad Biking
   Zula lodge, Albert Town, Wanaka              Team building, games and crafts

 Please register your interest with DEBRA NZ: debra@debra.org.nz
            Get in quick as LIMITED SPACES available!

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