Eleonora Buratto has been appointed an Ambassador for EBRP, the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research to cure Epidermolysis Bullosa, a rare genetic skin disorder also known as “butterfly disease.”

Already an ambassador for DEBRA Südtirol Alto Adige and long committed to supporting the EB community, Buratto’s connection with EBRP began when she made her role debut as “Madama Butterfly” in 2022 when philanthropist Bill Smith made a donation to the organization in her honor, writing: “I wanted to thank you for your magnificent performance as ‘Madama Butterfly’ at Lincoln Center last night. Brava. I understand this is a cause near and dear to your heart. A donation in your name for an extraordinary evening”.

Since then, Buratto and EBRP have worked closely together through events and initiatives whenever her career has brought her back to the United States, while also supporting the cause through her own Butterfly Gala, the charity concert she holds every two years in Italy in support of children living with EB, often called “butterfly children” because their skin is as fragile as butterfly wings.

In a statement Buratto said, “I am deeply honored to become an Ambassador for EB Research Partnership. The groundbreaking work this organization is doing and the extraordinary results it continues to achieve leave me in awe and make me proud to lend my voice, my heart and my strength to this mission. But there is still so much to be done and this appointment motivates me to continue raising awareness and, above all, to help bring us closer to a cure. My heartfelt thanks go first and foremost to CEO Michael Hund for his tireless dedication to this cause and for welcoming me into the EBRP family. I look forward to returning to the United States, this time to open the San Francisco Opera season, and to continuing our work alongside the incredible EBRP team, families, generous supporters and my fellow ambassadors.”

EB Research Partnership’s CEO, Michael Hund added, “EB Research Partnership was built on the belief that bold ideas, relentless collaboration, and people willing to act can change what is possible for families living with EB. Eleonora embodies the passion and generosity I have always admired in Italian culture, and what inspires me most is how she uses those gifts in service of others. Her voice will help more people understand the urgent need for research, inspire them to act and invite them to use their own platforms as ambassadors for change. We hope her leadership sparks a new generation of ambassadors around the world to join us in accelerating lifesaving breakthroughs and moving closer to more treatments, and ultimately a cure, for every person living with EB.”

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