FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jean Pickford PHONE: 215.631.1411
Foundation for Ichthyosis & Related Skin Types, Inc. (F.I.R.S.T.) Receives Funding
Lansdale, PA – (February 11, 2000) – Beiersdorf, headquarterd in Norwalk, CT and manufacturers of Aquaphor and Eucerin, has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Foundation for Ichthyosis & Related Skin Types (F.I.R.S.T.) to help fund its Ichthyosis Support Network (ISN). F.I.R.S.T.’s support network links families all over the country with other families who share similar experiences involving ichthyosis. For several years the support network has successfully functioned without a paid staff person, but thanks to Beiersdorf and its generous grant, F.I.R.S.T. can greatly improve the ISN and hire a Program Director.
Ichthyosis is a genetic skin disease characterized by dry, thickened and scaly skin. Dermatologists estimate that there are at least twenty varieties of ichthyosis with a wide range of severity and associated symptoms. Approximately 16,000 babies are born each year with some form of ichthyosis.
F.I.R.S.T. is a national voluntary organization dedicated to helping families with the genetic skin diseases collectively called the ichthyoses. F.I.R.S.T. provides support, information, education and advocacy for individuals and families affected by ichthyosis. F.I.R.S.T. supports research into causes, treatment and a cure for ichthyosis. For more information about ichthyosis or a related skin type, contact the national office at 215.631.1411 or www.scalyskin.org.
