Entrepreneurs unite on Giving Tuesday to raise awareness for DRESS syndrome

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – A mother’s heartbreak catapulted her on a mission to raise awareness for an unusual but deadly condition called DRESS syndrome.

“DRESS is an acronym for Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms,” said Tasha Tolliver. “It’s a mouthful, and DRESS is a silly name for a serious and devastating disease.”

Tolliver says her 16-year-old daughter Isabel, better known as Izzy, was given an antibiotic called Bactrim to treat her acne, but within a few weeks things began to worsen.

“Sudden fever for a few days and then a sudden body rash that started on her torso and quickly spread to the rest of her body,” Tolliver described her daughter’s symptoms.

She said her dermatologist instructed her to get Izzy to stop taking the medication, but her symptoms continued to worsen.

In November 2015, Izzy complained of chest pains and told her mother that she could barely breathe.

Tolliver took her to her pediatrician, who sent her straight to the emergency room.

“Her father and I were sitting with her in the hospital and she told me she was dying, and of course I said, ‘No, you’re not,'” Tolliver said. “She died within 30 minutes.”

An autopsy later revealed that Izzy had died of DRESS syndrome, which Tolliver said had been on her doctor’s radar throughout her treatment.

Unfortunately, Izzy did not receive the proper tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Devastated by her loss, Tolliver set out to tell her daughter’s story and raise awareness of the disease.

She founded the local organization DRESS Syndrome Foundation, which educates patients with dress syndrome worldwide.

We help patients figure out what questions they should ask their doctor.

They also provide information about the most important medications that can trigger DRESS syndrome.

The foundation works with the American Academy of Dermatology and the chief scientific advisor of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

According to Tolliver, there are currently 700 DRESS syndrome patients on their registry. The organization connects them with researchers focused on DRESS.

On December 3rd, Giving Tuesday, the owner of local boutique Verdalina will be partnering with the foundation.

“She works really hard on an international level to get the message out, which is certainly expensive,” said Deborah Boschen, Verdalina’s owner.

The West Broad Street boutique is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Tuesday, 20% of total sales will be donated to the DRESS Syndrome Foundation.

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