Health A mom and former Oakville resident is putting on a Pop-Up Shop for Charity this weekend in town in hopes of raising funds and awareness for research on a skin disease. Melissa Vassallo Idiens' 11-month-old daughter Amelia (Mia) Idiens was diagnosed with epidermolysis bulosa (EB). Within hours of being born, in December 2014, Mia's skin began to form blisters. "EB is a hereditary skin disease and as I have EB myself, I passed the condition along to my daughter," said Melissa. "Mia is the third generation of having EB in our family as my father had EB too." EB is often referred to as the `Butterfly Disease' because some strains of the condition make a person's skin as delicate as a butterfly's wings, she explained. "The disease can be quite challenging and, therefore, I knew I wanted to rally around the cause by supporting and empowering Mia's lifelong journey as a person with EB." That's why Melissa said she decided to put on the Pop-Up Shop for Charity at By Consignment, 115 Trafalgar Rd., on Saturday (Nov. 7), from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday (Nov. 8), from 41 | Thursday, November 5, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Weekend fundraiser to raise awareness of `painful' skin disease (Epidermolysis bulosa) is a hereditary skin disease and as I have EB myself, I passed (it) along to my daughter. Mia is the third generation of having EB.... Melissa Vassallo Idiens Oakville native From left, Amelia (Mia) Idiens, Daryl Idiens and Melissa Vassallo Idiens. Oakville native Melissa is donating clothes and accessories to a two-day Pop-Up Shop for Charity this weekend to raise awareness of the skin disease epidermolysis bulosa (EB). Melissa has the EB and passed on the skin condition to her 11-monthold daughter, Mia, whose skin began to form blisters immediately after birth. Funds from the two-day fundraiser support DEBRA Canada. | submitted photo 11 a.m.-5 p.m. "As any new mom will share, post-pregnancy bodies change after the glorious job of carrying a baby to term," said Melissa. "After giving birth myself, I decided to embrace my new fuller figure and life change as a new mom by donating all of my clothes and accessories to a beloved hometown consignment store to help raise money and awareness for EB." Melissa hopes the two-day pop-up shop will raise awareness on EB and DEBRA Canada, where the funds from the event will be donated. The non-profit organization provides support for families affected by EB, branding the challenging disease as "the most painful condition you've never heard of." For more information on the organization, visit debracanada.org. On December 13, our community will celebrate the opening of our new, state-of-the-art Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. And while we're almost ready to open the new hospital, there is still a need for your continued support. Your monthly gift to the Oakville Hospital Foundation will help ensure our caregivers have the medical equipment they require to care for our patients. Since the Government funds virtually no clinical equipment, our hospital relies on the support of our entire community to help us acquire these vital items. Join the Oak Leaf Society, our family of monthly donors, and help put essential equipment into the hands of our caregivers. Please call 905.338.4642 or visit us online at www.oakvillehospitalfoundation.com to become a monthly donor.