Story
<p style="tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11pt;">On 25 June 2011 I will be riding from London to Paris covering over 100miles a day whilst supporting the DEBRA charity who support those affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). <a href="http://www.debra.org.uk/"><span style="color: #2a42c6;">www.debra.org.uk</span></a> </span></span></p>
<p style="tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">There is a little boy called Mason White who suffers this serious, painful and life threatening condition, <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB). </span></strong></span></p>
<p style="tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">RDEB </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">is a genetic condition that causes blistering and shearing of the skin and internal linings from the gentlest friction. The 'hooks' which attach the epidermis (top layer of your skin) to the dermis (the thicker deep layer of your skin) are absent which means the skin layers easily separate and continuously blister.</span></p>
<p style="tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">When Mason was born, the skin was missing from his right foot and leg and the top of his left foot. The severity of Mason's condition means that he has already been critically ill after the lining of his oesophagus came away. He now cannot swallow food, fluid or medication and he has to be fed through a Gastrostomy button in his stomach. </span></p>
<p style="tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Mason also has to cope with sores and blisters that constantly form on his skin, his body is bandaged and he lives a routine of lancing blisters, bandaging, coping with the pain and making regular trips to the hospital. Despite all of this Mason keeps on smiling. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">DEBRA funds 10 specialist EB nurses and 3 Social Care Managers to help children, adults and families affected by this cruel condition. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Over the next three years DEBRA wishes to commit significant funds to further their aim of finding lasting and effective treatments for all types of the condition. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">So please dig deep and support DEBRA by not only donating but by helping to create awareness of this cruel, painful and life threatening condition. </span></p>
<p style="tab-stops: 69.3pt;"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></em></p>