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.

At the beginning of May, the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium bid a bittersweet farewell to Titan, a trained firefighter dog who took part in more than 80 searches during his life. The courageous canine, a Belgian Malinois shepherd, passed away at the age of 13, and will be remembered fondly for his brave service to the people of Alicante and the first responders at the Consortium.

A courageous canine with an ‘impeccable’ service record

Titan specialised in the search for live victims of natural disasters, and during his long life, participated in dozens of searches, some of them in the earthquakes of Ecuador and Turkey, as well as in the floods of Libya. The dog also carried out important work in Spain, searching for people trapped during natural disasters like DANA storms among collapsed structures, or stranded hikers in natural areas.

The clever dog spent much of his time with Sergio Pérez, a firefighter from the Elche fire station, training together. Any small gesture the dog made would be noted by Pérez, alerting him to the presence of any live victims during emergencies. The pair became inseparable, and many of the comments on the announcement of Titan’s passing are messages of condolence and support for Mr Pérez.

Search dogs like Titan are also trained to let first responders know if there are no live victims, which helps to change the approach during emergency situations.

A trained search dog that became a member of the family: Titan will be remembered and missed

Titan became such an important part of the team of Alicante firefighters that a toy was inspired by him, a plush toy used to help reduce children’s stress in times of emergencies. The firefighters carried the toy in their vehicles during interventions.

“A very special partner has left us. An impeccable service record with more than 80 searches,” stated the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium in a Facebook post about Titan’s passing. “Titan lived up to his name and to the #cpba. Rest in peace, buddy.”

Alicante firefighters leaped into action and quickly intervened in order to put out a fire near El Palmeral in the Costa Blanca town of Orihuela. The fire, which broke out in a house on the final day of April, resulted only in material damage, thanks to the swift action of the first responders.

Palm grove fire breaks out in Costa Blanca town

The fire broke out in the afternoon of April 30, in Orihuela’s El Palmeral palm grove, located near a school. According to sources close to the operation, the intervention was especially delicate given the proximity of the school and other nearby structures; if the firefighters hadn’t intervened as quickly as they did, the flames could have advanced and created a much more serious situation.

The fire was put under control relatively quickly, with no one injured and only material damages reported to the affected home.

The third in three days: Firefighters quick on their feet to put out fires on the Costa

It is the third building fire in three days in the Costa Blanca area, further showcasing the importance of the firefighters as first responders for the safety of the residents and visitors to the Costa Blanca. Another fire broke out on Wednesday, April 29 in a home in Almoradi, originating from a household appliance. This fire was also swiftly put under control and put out by authorities, thanks to quick intervention.

The day before, on Tuesday, April 28, another blaze took hold, this time in a chiringuito located in the Greenwich Marina in Altea. Once more, the firefighters responded quickly and were able to put out the fire with no injuries and only material damages reported.

Protecting citizens ahead of peak season in Alicante

Ahead of the summer season and busy crowds all along the Costa Blanca, local firefighters prove to be imperative for resident and visitor safety. They not only help to intervene and put out fires, which unfortunately become more common during the summer; they also perform rescues of citizens in dangerous areas, often while they are hiking in the mountains or climbing.

It is important that all residents keep a charged phone on them while they are out and about, remember to call the 112 Emergency Services number in the case of an incident, and to always let a loved one know their whereabouts before setting off.