Three further board members appointed to EDRIC Limb Deficiency organisation

Board expanding in 2013 to meet needs of growing success since launch of DysNet online Network

24 January 2013 Immediate Release

Three further board members have been appointed to lead EDRIC, the European non-profit organisation set up to help people affected by limb deficiency. 

In 2012, EDRIC (European Dysmelia Reference Information Centre) launched its online network, DysNet, to further its goal of bringing together Europe's often isolated patient groups that help people with all types of limb differences. 

Since DysNet's launch, last May, EDRIC has recruited 19 organisations from across the continent and in 2013 is looking to expand further.  To enable this, EDRIC has appointed three further directors from member organisations in Germany, Austria and Italy. 

Gernot Stracke is a board member of HICOHA (Hilfswerk für Contergangeschädigte e.V.  in Hamburg and Schlewsig-Holstein) a German thalidomide organisation.  He is married and has two children. 
Gernot works as sales manager for an international consulting company with a strong focus on IT-solutions and is also an instructor for speech recognition systems for people with limb deficiency and other disabilities. 

Michaela Moik is a thalidomide survivor and one of the founders of the Austrian Thalidomide self-help group. 

Until recently she was a social worker in the Youth Department of Vienna and has three children. 

Salvatore Giambruno is a longtime board member and past president of RAGGIUNGERE, the Italian limb Deficiency organisation. 

He is also a past president of LEDHA, a federation of 32 associations representing various disabilities.  He works as sales manager for the touch systems division of a large international corporation. 

EDRIC Chairman, Geoff Adams-Spink, said: "We've seen so much success in 2012, with the launch of DysNet and our members' meeting, we needed to consolidate our leadership structure.  This will ensure the future smooth running of EDRIC as we continue to campaign for improved access to health, work and creating better lives for individuals living with limb differences. 

"All three of our new board members have many years of involvement supporting people living with limb differences and I am sure they will bring their diverse and valuable knowledge to benefit EDRIC."

---

Tags: EDRIC dysmelia thalidomide Contergan Raggiungere limb difference limb loss Press Release