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Feb 21, 2008 9:51 am US/Eastern
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A Student Helps In Family's Medical Hardships
HIALEAH (CBS4) ―
Cristina Rodriguez, a Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School student, has taken on a task to help a Miami-Dade family cope with its twin's illness, a rare genetic skin disorder. She is trying to raise at least a year's worth of medical supplies for the family, in part, with a walk-a-thon scheduled for March.
Maggie Escobar explains how her five-year-old twins, Christian and Christopher, have contracted this genetic skin disease, and the monthly bills for supplies alone cost at least $2,000.
"They blister up spontaneously," she said. "If they fall, their skin breaks."
There's no cure. No treatment.
The twins suffer from Epidermolysis Bullosa, an illness that causes the skin to be fragile, whose symptoms first appear in babies or toddlers. Because the skin is so fragile, it can be easily injured, causing painful blisters to form. These blisters can cause serious problems if they become infected.
Cristina has taken on a task to help them. "When I saw the scarring and when I saw the blistering, and I saw their skin, it gave me chills." So she's organizing a walk, the first in Florida, and only the second in the country to help children with EB.
"It's just not one family, in some way, and it may be far away, I'm helping other families that have it," Cristian added.
She's hoping the community will get behind her and help raise funds and awareness of this disease.
It's part of a project, which may one day be recognized by the Miami Herald Silver Knights Project, which announces its winners May 20th at the Carnival Center.
Neighbors4Neighbors, a nonprofit community organization, is helping in the fundraiser, and if you would like to help please click on their website or call (305) 587-4404.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)