Eczema Clinic

By Deborah Condon

People affected by eczema, including the parents of children with the skin condition, are invited to come along to a major awareness and information day in Dublin this weekend.

The event has been organised by the Irish Eczema Society, a new group established earlier this year. The society's main aim is to provide a support and information service in Ireland.

Speaking to irishhealth.com, co-founder of the society, Jeannette Brazel, explained that there has not been an Irish eczema society for the last eight years. Ms Brazel and another woman, Caroline Kelly, decided the time was right to re-establish such a group. Both are the mothers of young sons with severe eczema.

"We have been working on this for the last year. We met the head of the National Eczema Society in the UK in order to get advice on how to get set up. They have been a big help and are providing lots of information to us", Ms Brazel said.

Up to 800,000 people in Ireland have eczema. The condition, which can lead to an itchy, scaly, weepy rash, can occur anywhere on the body

The society currently has a website and a postal address, but it hopes to have an office and telephone facility in the near future.

"In the next year, we hope to be able to offer more services. A major part of our plan is to help in the setting up of local support groups throughout the country", Ms Brazel explained.

In the meantime, the society has organised a major awareness open day at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. The event, which takes place on Saturday, September 24, will include a talk by consultant paediatric dermatologist, Dr Alan Irvine. There will also be a talk by a psychologist, who will look at the emotional impact of the condition.

"We will have a nurse's workshop, which will look at the daily treatment of eczema - this can be very complicated. The main providers of eczema care products will also have a number of stands at the event", Ms Brazel said.

The open day, like the society, is open to those with eczema, as well as carers of people with the condition. The cost of the event is €5 and this includes lunch.

"We have tried to subsidise the day as much as possible because eczema can be a very costly condition", Ms Brazel added.

For more information on the open day or the Irish Eczema Society, email info@eczemaireland.org

The society's website can be seen at...

http://www.eczemaireland.org