Mayo student with rare disease to abseil from Croke Park roof

A Mayo student with a rare, genetic skin disease hopes to raise €5,000 by abseiling from the roof of Croke Park to raise funds for others living with her condition.  

Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is caused by the absence of essential proteins that bind the skin together, and Kate Cogan, 19, from Kilmovee, lives with a severe form - dystrophic EB.  

She will take on the challenge on June 27 to raise a minimum of €5,000 to help fund a year of practical, psychosocial and emotional support for people living with EB.   This will be provided through Debra, the national charity supporting the approximately 300 people living in Ireland with EB.  Every year, Debra makes over 500 emotional support calls and over 50 home visits all over Ireland.

“Abseiling terrifies me, but living with EB is even scarier,” said Kate, a first-year accountancy student in the ATU Galway.  “When the opportunity came up to do it, I decided to grab it, even though I am afraid of heights.

“Having EB is uncomfortable – it's a challenge every day and the abseil is quite a good representation of that.  

“It sends the message that you can still get through those uncomfortable moments.”  

The public is asked to back her brave challenge at: https://www.debra.ie/our-campaigns/kates-abseil/ 

Mental wellbeing is a topic close to Kate’s heart and her challenge launch coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week this week. (May 12-18) 

“I’ve been in and out of therapy since I was about 10 or 11 and I think it’s a great thing - I struggled an awful lot in secondary school and was bullied quite badly,” she said.  “I think I spent too long focusing on the bad parts of myself and missed out on much of my teenage years.  

“At first, I saw therapy as a chore, something I was being made to do, but now I see that I needed to be in it and I needed to talk - it helped me a lot.  

“You can miss out on really good parts of life and experiences and I’d recommend to someone struggling to seek support.”  

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is community, something Kate says has helped her from the start.  

“I come from a very small village in Mayo, so when I was born, everyone knew I had EB,” she said.  

“My primary school was amazing, there was support the whole way through.   

“People say it takes a village (to rear a child) and my community has always been really supportive and helpful.”  

In addition to physical pain, living with a rare disease can cause emotional stress, with hidden difficulties to overcome, such as stigma and a lack of understanding.  

“We understand that living with EB can bring significant emotional and social challenges and our service can be hugely helpful for some - shining a light on what can be a very difficult journey,” said Deirdre Callis, Head of Family Support at Debra.   “Our calls and community visits give people a rare chance to share what they are going through with someone who understands. This can sometimes be an all-day visit.   

“Our advice, information, resources and practical help span the full impact of EB.  We help people navigate Government support, secure suitable housing, access education, build local community connections, get specialist healthcare referrals and feel supported after bereavement. We’re there at every step.”