100k Walk for Ian's Sore Eyes

It is with much gratitude to local Ultra Marathon Power Walker, Jacquie Farris and her Oak Bay High School Grad class of 1968 that we are excited to announce our 100K Walk for Ian's Sore Eyes in June 2010. To celebrate her 60th birthday, Jacquie will dedicate her 13-14hr 100k power walk to raise funds for Ian's medical costs while building public awareness about SJS.

Jacquie is herself an SJS survivor, living with significant permanent loss of the use of both hands and constant pain caused by complex regional pain syndrome & functional digit joint/tendon issues, which occurred as secondary complications to SJS which she initially experienced in 2002.

Ian's team is busy preparing the logistics of the event, so please check back for a confirmed date and further details as to how you can participate or contribute. For more information about SJS please visit www.milnesjs.com

Accutane SJS warning by Health Canada

Health Canada has announced that Accutane, a popular medication used to treat acne, must now carry a warning stating the medication may cause rare, but potentially fatal skin reactions. The new warning stems from reports that some patients taking the medication have developed severe skin conditions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

A total of 66 serious skin reactions, two of which resulted in fatality, have been reported globally in patients taking the medication. According to Health Canada, the number of reported events presumably underestimates the number of Accutane patients that have experienced such reactions. While most of the reported occurrences involved factors other than Accutane, a correlation between the medication and the severe reactions has not been ruled out.

In the more than 25 years in which Accutane has been in circulation, the medication has been prescribed to approximately 16 million patients. During this time Accutane has been associated with other serious side effects such as the development of severe birth defects and miscarriage when taken by pregnant women. It has also been linked to an increase in depression and suicidal thoughts in some patients.

The maker of the drug, Hoffmann-La Roche, quietly pulled Accutane from the U.S. market and those of 11 other countries in 2009, citing growing competition from generics and a burdening string of law suits involving Accutane against the company.

Despite the new warning, Health Canada believes no additional action against Accutane is warranted and maintains the benefits of the medication still outweigh the risks.

For information about Stevens Johnson Syndrome visit www.milnesjs.com

SJS story on Mystery Diagnosis

Julie McCawley's story will air on Mystery Diagnosis on Discovery Health channel March 22, 2010. Please check your local listing for the time in your area!

To read Ian's story visit www.milnesjs.com

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Christmas / New Year Bottle drive, we are still accepting donation of recyclables at Bottle Depot. Ian is scheduled for his prosthetic ocular surface lens refit in Boston in July 2010 and we are gearing up for possible reconstructive surgery of his eyelids. In order to raise the necessary funds, we are working on some upcoming fundraisers. Please check back for details. In addition to raising funds for Ian's treatments, we are very excited to have an opportunity to promote awareness about Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

For more information please visit www.milnesjs.com