Imagine a disease that is so painful that your child is in pain if you even hug her. Epidermolysis bullosa, or EB, is a rare genetic condition that affects connective tissue. People with EB have extremely fragile skin, and the slightest friction, like taking off a shirt or a hug, can cause painful blisters to form and tear the skin open.
The 2nd Annual Mats Wilander Foundation Tennis Pro-Am, held on August 27, from 8am to 4pm, is a fundraiser for the only national nonprofit dedicated to research and treatment of EB, the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association (debra of America). It will be held at the 100-year-old West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens. Open to players of all ages and skill levels, the Pro-Am will be filled with activities, like hitting balls with former and current tennis pros, a continental breakfast and barbecue lunch, instructional clinics, individual and team competitions, a pro meet-and-greet, a professional exhibition match, and more.
Dress code is tennis whites, and donations are welcome, even if you can’t attend. Visit debra.org for more info!
