Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain
By Catherine McGeer •
Updated: 25 Oct 2024 • 15:18 • 2 minutes read
The 43rd Dublin Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 27 and this year Colin Farrell and his friend Emma Fogarty are taking part to support Debra Ireland. They announced recently on the Irish chat show The Late Late Show that they hope to raise €1 million for the charity that supports those with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) also known as butterfly skin. After they appeared together on the chat show they raised €665,000 already for this painful genetic condition.
Colin Farrell raises awareness for Butterfly Skin
Colin Farrell, the Irish actor from Castleknock in Dublin, and Emma Fogarty have been friends since 2010. Emma has lived with recessive dystrophic EB, the most severe form of the condition, since birth. She is Ireland’s longest-surviving patient with this rare disorder. EB or butterfly skin makes the skin very fragile causing it to tear or blister from even minor contact. Fogarty’s daily routine is made up of constant dressing changes for her extremely painful open wounds.
The Dublin Marathon is especially meaningful for Emma Fogarty this year as she will join her friend Colin Farrell for the last 4 kilometres, each kilometre will mark a decade of her life. Fogarty will be 40 this year and has admitted that reaching this milestone is a personal victory even though every day is a challenge. Colin Farrell will run the entire Marathon although he has joked it will probably be more of a walk than a run!
Debra Ireland: Government funding urgent needs
According to Debra Ireland, they need €695,000 each year to support the 300 people with EB in Ireland, an amount that is unmet by government funding. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has pledged €125,000 but Farrell and Fogarty have called on the government to match the charity’s funding goal. Farrell described the lack of support as ‘inhumane’ and is calling for more consistent care for EB patients.
Debra: Supporting those with butterfly skin worldwide
Debra is a global charity that is dedicated to improving the lives of people suffering from EB or butterfly skin. It was founded in 1970 and now operates in over 50 countries around the world. It supplies resources, medical supplies, research funding and advocacy to support those living with EB and their families.
Debra Spain also actively raises awareness about EB in Spain. Offering nursing care, psychological support and help with securing bandaging materials needed for wound management. They collaborate with the national healthcare system and organise campaigns to fund further research and improve patient care. Many international charities and associations also support Debra Spain.
Through its efforts Debra and its global branches make sure that people with EB receive the attention and support they deserve, while pushing for a breakthrough that could one day lead to a cure.
Support Debra and Colin Farrell at the Dublin Marathon
If you would like to support Debra you can find more information on debra.ie for the Irish branch and debra.es for the Spanish branch. Their website can be translated in to English. Or if you are in the Dublin area drop by and cheer on Colin Farrell and Emma Fogarty. Click for the details of the start and finish points of the Dublin Marathon.
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Written by
Catherine McGeer
I am an Irish writer who has been living in Spain for the past twenty years. My writing centers around the Costa Cálida. As a mother I also write about family life on the coast of Spain and every now and then I try to break down the world of Spanish politics!
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