Quesada charity shop announces closure after 20 years of support

The DEBRA association, a non-profit organisation for the support of people affected by Epidermolysis bullosa, also known as Butterfly Skin, has announced the closure of its Butterfly Skin Charity Shop in Quesada. The difficult decision was made due to financial strains, as the charity explained on an official Facebook post announcing the news.

Two decades of charitable work in Quesada

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being with us all these years,” stated the post. “Your purchases, donations, volunteering, and participation in every event have been so important in raising awareness about the disease and in providing specialised care for people with Butterfly Skin.”

The shop is closing after more than 20 years of carrying out charitable work in the Alicante province to support people living with this rare skin disease. The disease is caused by a group of rare, genetic conditions that lead to extremely fragile skin that can blister from minor friction or trauma, called Butterfly Skin because the skin is ‘as fragile as a butterfly’s wing.’

What is DEBRA? Providing support for those struggling with Butterfly Skin

DEBRA is the only national, registered charity for people affected by this condition. It aims to mitigate families’ distress, uncertainty and fear by providing support, from birth to end of life care. The team consists of specialist nurses, psychologists, social workers and researchers, who are all dedicated to providing direct support services to people with Butterfly Skin, as well as their families.

The charity was founded in 1993 by Nieves Montero and Iñigo Ibarrondo, after the birth of their first child, who was then diagnosed with Epidermolysis bullosa. Today, the team has grown to nearly 50 members, and passionate volunteers, kind-hearted locals, and those affected by the disease all take part to make the charitable work done by DEBRA a daily reality.

Kind-hearted residents can still donate at the San Fulgencio location

The announcement highlighted that, though the Quesada location will sadly no longer be accepting donations, local residents can still take part and donate through other locations, particularly the shop in San Fulgencio, located on Luis de Góngora Street, Local 37, as well as Malaga, Valencia, Sevilla, Madrid, and Barcelona.