To our sadness, Ita Saul, EB dietician in Our Lady’s Hospital, takes her leave to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. Her colleague and friend Lesley Haynes, retired EB dietician in the UK, described to us Ita’s deep commitment to EB over the years –

“Ita has been a core member of the EB Team at Our Lady’s Hospital since its inception many years ago.  When the EB team at Great Ormond Street Hospital first went over to support the fledgling EB clinic at Our Lady’s Hospital, Ita immediately embraced the role of dietitian to the EB team there and has never stopped ensuring that nutrition support remains an integral and respected aspect of overall patient care.  It is unusual for such a rare set of conditions as EB to be given such “recognition” in dietetic departments; more often than not they fall well down the list of conditions competing for dietetic time and/or are given to a dietitian who “drew the shortest straw”.  Sad but true and, of course, not conducive to dedicated input.  Ita has always been more than willing not only to attend EB conferences (often self-funding or obtaining at least partial funding from companies who manufacture nutritional products rather than expecting DEBRA to fund her), but also to present at the Nutrition Forums.  As the past organiser of these forums, I knew I could always rely on Ita to take an active part when few others were willing.  Her presentations were always been exemplary – based on sound nutritional principles and a specialist evidence base, that can have been accrued only by spending time with families and applying individualised and realistic advice.”

Ita’s long-term colleague and Director of the EB service in Our Lady’s also added this-

“The multidisciplinary EB team at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin are saddened that Ita is leaving the service albeit to a well deserved retirement.  Ita has been a key member of the team since the mid 90’s.  She has thus given 20 years of dedicated service to our patients. She played a pivotal role in the successful application to the HSE for funding for the National EB service. Her energy and enthusiasm knows no bounds and her input has lead to a marked improvement in the quality of life for many of our patients over the years.  Ita has represented our country by speaking at many international EB meetings over the years and is highly respected for her expertise.  We wish her well at this next stage of her life.”    

Ita, we are incredibly sorry to lose you to the service but will remain inspired by your passion and enthusiasm to make a difference to children with EB. On behalf of the entire EB community we thank you sincerely for decades of dedication. Please stay in touch.