Professor Derek Baker, Professor of Agribusiness in the UNE Business School, is a man on mission.

He has been diligently hitting the road in preparation to run the annual New York City Marathon to raise money for medical research.

A swimmer and social rugby player in the past, Derek is new to running but quick to point out that he’s not raising funds for knee reconstructions but rather for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

EB is a rare and painful condition that causes extremely fragile skin from birth. People with EB are often referred to as “butterfly children” because their skin is as delicate as butterfly wings. People with the condition are very easily injured, even just from heat or a bump, resulting in painful blisters, tears and wounds.

While Derek has run a couple of fundraisers over shorter distances in the last year, completing a marathon is a big draw.

“The NY marathon is somewhat flexible about qualifying times, hence an old crock like me can get into the event with a fundraising plan,” Derek said. “I’m currently running about 50km a week as part of my training as well as doing a fair bit of gym work – losing kilograms as well as boosting endurance.”

Asked why he chose to support EB, Derek said the EB Research Partnership (EBRP), a non-profit organisation in the USA, is close to his heart.

“The research is appealing to those of us with a scientific background (and those of us that are parents), and some professional links in the US helped me make contact.”

Running the New York City Marathon, which takes place on 5 November in New York city, is a monumental challenge. With 42.2 kilometers of bitumen to conquer, every step Derek takes will support vital EB research, helping the medical fraternity to find effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Should you want to support Derek, please visit his fundraising page at: https://give.ebresearch.org/fundraiser/4721192?is_new=true