INTERSPAR Austria has donated €55,000 to the EB House – the world’s first specialist clinic for children living with the genetic, and so far incurable, disease Epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The donation comprises the sales proceeds of butterfly-shaped pastries baked in INTERSPAR bakeries, sold nationwide.

Also known as ‘butterfly children’, those suffering from this rare condition have skin as vulnerable as the wings of a butterfly. The EB House Austria in Salzburg has been a contact point for butterfly children and their families for over 15 years.

INTERSPAR Austria – a reliable partner

The globally recognised expert centre houses diagnosis, treatment, research, and training facilities tailored towards EB under one roof. Nursing staff and doctors are available to patients and relatives, offering medical care and comprehensive advice. Over the past 14 years, INTERSPAR has donated a total of €571,500 to this cause.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks and disinfectants have become an additional stressor for the sensitive skin of these young patients.

“Even during the ongoing Corona crisis, the experts at the EB House offer unlimited help and are always ready to listen to their patients’ concerns. We want to support this commitment through our fundraising campaign”, emphasises INTERSPAR Austria Managing Director Johannes Holzleitner.

Ongoing research

In addition to providing care for butterfly children, researchers at the EB House Austria focus on curing epidermolysis bullosa and alleviating its symptoms. As part of the 25^th-anniversary project, a new, ultra-modern laboratory is to be set up at the EB House Austria to research new therapy options.

“Our work at the EB House would not be possible without donations. This also applies to the anniversary project. The generous donation by INTERSPAR Austria helps us to cope with the Corona crisis, and at the same time to develop the clinic further,” says the Medical Director of the University Clinic for Dermatology in Salzburg, University Professor Dr Johann Bauer.

Source: SPAR Austria

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About SPAR Austria

The origins of SPAR in Austria date back to 1954, but the current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined with other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company.

With licences granted by SPAR International, ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) has developed SPAR in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Northern Italy. With sales of €8.3 billion and impressive growth of 16%, SPAR Austria became the market leader in the Austrian grocery trade during 2020, after being a market growth leader for over a decade.