A mum whose toddler suffers from severe eczema is pleading for donations to help fly her son abroad for life-changing treatment. Ines Dias, 22, is hoping the Gofundme page will help her son, Gabriel, three, beat the condition that has afflicted him since he was just one-month-old.
Ines says it is “heart-breaking” watching her only child go through what he's gone through in his early years. She said: "There is the bullying, the disgusted looks, and the many questions every single day.
"Gabriel’s eczema is so severe that he has liquid pouring from his face, day and night.”
Gabriel was born in May 2022 and signs of eczema started to show a month later. It slowly worsened, and after six-months the dry skin covered his entire body - head to toe.
Ines has taken Gabriel to see numerous doctors and dermatologists, and even to a private clinic, over the past three years. Tests and investigations confirmed he has an extremely severe form of eczema.
But, sadly, none of the treatments provided were able to deliver long-term benefits. Ines said: “We were given antibiotics and cortisol which worked for a few days - but then it all came back.
"I can’t even sleep with him because his condition gets worse at night and that's when he scratches most. The hot weather makes everything worse as well. "It’s really heart-breaking seeing him like this."
"I only sleep three hours maximum in the morning at the moment because the rest of the night looking after him."
Now, Gabriel has been given the chance of receiving a new treatment in Portugal which Ines hopes will change everything. The doctor in question is a specialist who uses native Portuguese plants and natural creams to treat skin conditions and burns.
Thanks to funds raised by her Gofundme page, Ines was able to take her son to see the doctor for a £4,000 initial treatment session earlier this year. Treatment was moderately successful, but Gabriel must have follow-up sessions every three months to yield any tangible long-term benefits.
The cost of the subsequent trips and future treatment sessions is significant - so Ines has reached out again in a plea for funding. So far she has raised nearly £4,000, which she hopes will help her son get better.
Ines said: “I have been in contact with a doctor in Portugal who says he can help Gabriel - but it will take a year to get the best results All help is really welcome. It will give me more strength - and a little bit of hope.”
To donate to Ine's fundraiser visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/eczemaseverodespesas
