Graeme Souness's 2026 Challenge

3 swims. 3 climbs. 3 reasons to get involved. DEBRA President Graeme Souness CBE has taken on his hardest challenge yet in support of people living with butterfly skin — and there are three urgent reasons for you to get involved.

Story

This September, I've pushed myself to the limit once more for DEBRA and people living with EB, also known as butterfly skin.

I've climbed the three tallest peaks and swam the three highest lakes in the country. And in just three days.

I've already swum the English Channel twice for DEBRA. First in 2024, and again in 2025 when I swam the Channel there and back. Those swims were absolutely gruelling, but this year's challenge was my toughest yet.

We have to do all we can to raise the money we need. The thousands of people living with the constant pain of EB can't keep waiting.

Three urgent reasons for you to get involved:

• Ease suffering now — your donation will help improve quality of life today for people with EB.
• Accelerate treatments — your donation will help us test more potentially life-changing drug therapies.
• Give hope — your donation will drive us one step closer towards a future free from the pain of EB.

This spring, for DEBRA's recent TV campaign, I spent time with Anna and Iain, and their 13-year-old daughter Jasmine. Jasmine lives with EB, and fights through agony every single day. Open wounds, constant itch that makes it so hard for skin to heal, and excruciating blisters from head to toe.

Spending time with Jasmine and her family was another powerful reminder for me that this fight against EB needs to move much faster. There's no time to waste.

Please donate now and help make every peak, every swim, and every step count.

If we can work together and hit the £500,000 target, that’s enough to fund an EB clinical trial that could secure a potentially life-changing treatment.

By donating today, you can help us stop the pain of EB as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Graeme Souness CBE
President, DEBRA UK