WATERLOO, Wis.—  A Jefferson County mother is grateful for a Madison company that's helping give her son a better quality of life, in more ways than one.

What You Need To Know

  • Epidermolysis Bullosa, or EB, is a genetic skin condition that causes patients large burn like wounds all over their bodies

  • Four-year-old Henry Rathmann's family has used a Madison-based biosciences anti-microbial patch to provide relief from the debilitating pain

  • The company learned Henry has a pending Make-a-Wish and wanted to help fund it

  • Henry's family would like to go to the Wilderness Campgrounds in Montello. The site is EB friendly and can cater to his medical needs

Krissy Rathmann's little boy, Henry, has Epidermolysis bullosa, or EB for short.

"As hard as everything is, you never would change it, because if it changes that, he's not here," Krissy said about her son's debilitating and rare skin disorder that causes large burn like wounds all over his body.

So far, there's only been a handful of things to help her toddler. While researchers continue to work to find a cure, there isn't an easy solution in sight.

Madison's Imbed Biosciences makes a special anti-microbial silver nanoparticle patch called the Microlyte Matrix. It's one of the only things that brings her son any sort of relief or comfort.     

"It is able to reduce the pain that patients feel. And second, it reduces the frequency of dressing change, which means it allows those partial thickness, large surface area burn type wounds, and these kids, to heal," Imbed's CEO Ankit Agarwal said.

Agarwal says Microlyte was developed in partnership with the UW Health Burn Center. It's now used worldwide at top adult and children burn centers

For EB patients, Henry served as the company's case study. The four-year-old's experience with the patch was a success.

So when Agarwal and his company learned Henry was chosen for an upcoming Make-a-Wish, they wanted to help and are .

"He needs to feel better, feel good and I think that it [Henry's Make-a-Wish] will make Microlyte even work better for him," Agarwal said.

Henry's family is planning to take him to the Wilderness Campgrounds in Montello, an EB-friendly location, suited for his special needs. He'll have access to nurses 24-7 while he's there, and other necessities.

Henry's mom is hopeful that soon she'll see a smile on her son's face at the campgrounds, and even more hopeful that one day, he'll beat the disorder altogether.

"Gene therapy and a cure would blow your mind. Could you imagine?" Krissy said.

Of course, the company wants to help beyond granting a wish: They want to continue to help him get better and are on the hunt for a cure.

Meanwhile, Imbed researchers are now partnering with other top medical companies to create a gene therapy treatment for Henry's chronic condition. 

"And we'll be using our platform to deliver these genes to the EB patients." Agarwal said.