Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am the Rambling Duck and love to waddle and quack out to make a difference to improve lives of those less fortunate than me. For 2013 I shall be fluttering as Debra the Butterfly instead! The Butterfly is the logo of the charity DEBRA.

Through 2013 I shall be running and walking 2013 miles. Follow me on Twitter and to keep up to date. I also blog daily!

Help me raise £2013 for DEBRa in 2013

DEBRA is the national charity working on behalf of people in the UK with the genetic skin blistering condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

What is EB?

Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a very rare genetic condition in which the skin and internal body linings blister at the slightest knock or rub, causing painful, open wounds.

EB is likely to affect 1 in 17,000 live births and it is estimated that there are currently 5,000 people with the condition in the UK. Because EB is an inherited condition (it cannot be caught), which is passed on genetically from parents to children, first time parents often do not know that they are carriers and will have no prior warning that the child will be affected, until birth.

The condition has a number of distinct forms. In its least severe forms, the blistering is confined to the hands and feet making holding things and walking extremely painful. In more severe forms all the body is affected and the wounds heal very slowly, giving rise to scarring, physical deformity and significant disability.

For many affected by the condition, the blistering is not limited to the skin but also affects the inner body linings such as the mouth and oesophagus. The eating of solids is, in these cases, almost impossible, and the disposal of the body waste incredibly painful. When this condition applies, malnutrition is often a consequence, further reducing the body's resistance to infection.

People with the more severe types of EB also have an exceptionally high risk of developing skin cancers, shortening their lives by approximately 30-40 years. In its most severe form, the condition is fatal in infancy.

Whilst considerable progress has been made in recent years in understanding EB and identifying the genes that cause the condition, there is as yet no effective treatment or a cure.

The condition was brought to public attention in the UK through the Channel 4 documentary The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off, chronicling the life and death of Jonny Kennedy, an English man with EB.

"Butterfly Children" is a term often used to describe younger patients because the skin is said to be as fragile as a butterfly’s wings. Hence the charity emblems with Butterflies.

Living with EB is a painful and disabling way of life. Have a look at these videos to experience this. Read the real life stories of how families and patients cope. The pictures and stories are very moving, and makes you realise how lucky we are.

I am quite passionate about wanting to make a difference. It's not just a job, it's also in my nature as you will see from the many Daily Rambles(blogs)  and fundraising events. It is not just empathy and sympathy that have tugged at my heart strings to want to be able to raise awareness of this skin condition, to raise funds for the support and research. When you can see the difference your donations make you will understand what inspires and motivates me to be a part of DEBRA and champion their research, work and organisation. A few pounds could buy mittens to stop a baby scratching and blistering themselves to the bone. £150 could send a family to a specially adapted holiday home for a much needed break. Your donation brings relief, much needed support and also closer to the research goals to find a cure. This leaflet demonstrates further how DEBRA help.

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.

So please dig deep and donate now.