Dr Tirant first started to treat Kristina in May 2003, due to her young age, the condition proved to be a little more complex in that many of the orals were unsuitable in strength for her, or made her sick. As the year progressed her tolerance of the orals improved and it was agreed to bring her out to Australia for the eight week intensive treatment program.

Below is a transcript from a local newspaper.

August 23, 2004

Relief More Than Skin Deep – by Geoff Edwards

With courtesy to reproduce the article from Geoff Edwards and the Editor of the Standard Leader, Frankston, VIC, Australia.

Kristina E….’s smile has always belied the rare skin disorder that has brought her halfway around the world to Frankston in search of a cure.

After six weeks of examination and treatment, the Hungarian four-year-old’s once bright-red, dry scaly skin has become a red-brown and smoother.

According to Frankston research doctor and specialist Dr Michael Tirant, Kristina’s eyes still weep and cannot close.

And any sudden gripping of an object tears her skin.

But walking is less painful, and tickle the brown haired child and she grins with a white flash of teeth.

At such an early age, and surrounded by accepting kinder friends at home in P……, outside Budapest, Kristina is still oblivious to the cruel fun being poked at her by other who see her as different.

Her Mother, Elena, and three brothers who accompanied her to Frankston early last month and Dr Tirant agree – Kristina’s condition has improved significantly.

Dr Tirant described Kristina’s case of Ichthyosis as severe”.

But when Kristina met the press last Tuesday, the improvement was apparent compared with the pre-treatment photographs of her affliction.

Giving her relief is a mixture of herbs and oils. It is a combination similar to that used by the Frankston Psoriasis & Skin Clinic on another Hungarian Ichthyosis sufferer in Dec, 2002. The condition of the then seven-year-old Andras K…. was worse and seemingly condemned him to a life of reclusion, self-consciousness, pain and minimal activity. Hungarian television covered the “crocodile boy” case.

Dr Tirant said the once-sad little boy has shown much improvement and was “about 90 % cleared up”.

Dr Tirant visits Hungary three times a year and more patients may follow Kristina from Europe to Frankston.

“Kristina is a happy little soul who can walk, but she knows she is not well” he said.

Through an interpreter, Mrs E…… said her husband, Jozsef, a furniture factory worker, phoned regularly for updates about Kristina.

PLEASE NOTE THAT:- ICTHYOSIS CANNOT BE CURED, BUT AS ATTESTED TO BY THESE PHOTOGRAPHS – MANAGEMENT CAN BE ATTAINED .