Matt and Skip
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Truly inspiring. What an epic challenge. So proud of you for doing this x
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Truly inspiring. What an epic challenge. So proud of you for doing this x
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Katherine talks so fondly of you all, and how brave Jasmine is. Good luck on taking on this challenge and raising so much money. Love The Hoult’s
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Have an amazing adventure Anna & Rob, Jasmine must be so proud ❤️ lots of love The Turps xx
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Good Luck Anna & Rob with your epic climb. I’m sure you will reach your target for this amazing cause and your utterly amazing Jasmine xxxx
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Good luck 🤞
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Good luck 💛
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Go team!! 👏
Your little girl is amazing!! We’re wishing you the best of luck! xxx
Event dates: –
Anna Ritchie & Robert Dickenson are raising money for DEBRA
My dad and I are heading to Africa to take on an epic, challenge-of-a-lifetime, 8-day Kilimanjaro trek to raise money for Debra UK, in the hope of one day finding a cure for 'the worst disease you've never heard of' and giving little Jasmine a chance to be free of pain and enjoy a life she can only dream of.
Most people that know us, will know of my daughter Jasmine, who was born with Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB), which is an extremely rare disease that affects her entire body, causing her to be in excruciating pain every single day. Jasmines form of EB means that the 'glue' that holds the layers of skin together is missing, causing her skin to shear off, blister or tear at the slightest touch. Her body is bandaged from her neck to her toes. The wounds are often compared to those of 3rd degree burns. Imagine then, having to endure 4-5 hour full dressings changes every other day for your whole life. But the thing is - Jasmine doesn't have to imagine, this is her (and our) life.
As you can appreciate, diseases such as these come with their own complications - so if you think what I've said so far is bad enough, Jasmine also has to deal with osteoporosis, partial kidney failure, gastronomy feeds, regular blood transfusions, procedures to release strictures of the throat and inevitably, mental health difficulties. Any one of these on their own is enough to bear, and at her young age, I honestly don't know how she does it - and she shouldn't have to.
This isn't the life a 12 year old should ever have to endure - we need a cure and we need it now.
This is where you can help. Please support my dad and I, as we leave our families (which, when you have a child with EB, is a massive undertaking in itself), and take on the biggest challenge of our lives, to raise as much money as we can, to not only find a cure, but to enable Jasmine, and others just like her, to experience a quality of life they deserve.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story - please feel free to share far and wide.
Thank you for checking out our page. Making a donation is fast, easy and secure thanks to Give as you Live Donate. They'll take your donation and pass it onto DEBRA.
There was a point shortly after committing to this journey I thought I’d have to pull out, and after months of pain in my hip, I found out I had a labral tear in my hip joint, which could have stopped this effort in its tracks. However, last week, they put a big stabby needle in me and injected the joint with steroids! I’d like to say I was brave, but then I realised what Jasmine goes through daily and realised, I had a lot to learn.
So today, with a spring in my step, I’m tackling my first hill in about 6 months! I’m far from fit, but it can only get easier 🙂 Let’s do this!