A wellness coach has died after reportedly taking part in a “cleansing ceremony” that uses alternative medicine made from the poisonous skin of an Amazonian tree frog.
Kristian Trend, 40, is believed to be the first British victim of the drug, known as Kambo, which is banned from sale in several countries but can be bought legally in the UK.
His mother Angie told The Telegraph that she wants the treatment to be banned following her son’s death. Mr Trend, who had survived cancer, is said to have collapsed after taking part in a ritual at a flat in Leicester last month.
“He was going to cleanse himself, that’s what he said to me. He was very spiritual. He took a lot of vitamins. But I don’t know what happened,” his mother told the newspaper.
“We haven’t had the test results back yet. I don’t know anything and I don’t even think I want to know what happened. It won’t bring him back.”
“He recovered from Burkitt lymphoma cancer, which he nearly died from. That’s the worst part. He was in hospital for four months and got through that and for this to happen is just awful. It was his birthday the week after and I’d bought all these presents.”
Referring to Kambo, she added: “I hope they ban it, but I’m not strong enough to fight for it. My husband died six years ago at 62. I’m completely lost now.”
The substance, which is harvested from the defensive skin secretions of the Amazonian giant monkey tree frog, was banned in Australia after some rare deaths of people taking part in “Kambo” ceremonies, which involve a participant’s skin being burned or scraped and the Kambo being rubbed into the wound.
Mr Trend, who was working as a wellness coach, had launched a plant-based coffee alternative before his death and shared health tips on an Instagram account called “Kristian The Feel Good Guy”.
His mother described him as a “lovely, bubbly, spiritual man”, adding: “He loved partying and dancing. And he was very, very popular. More than 200 people came to his funeral from all over. I didn’t even know that side of him”.
Mr Trend’s family have launched a fundraising campaign in aid of the Loros hospice charity in Leicestershire. They wrote: “For anyone who would like to make a donation in memory of Kristian … We would like to raise as much money as possible for such an amazing charity that meant the world to him and us as a family.
“Fly high big bro. We love you always, Mum, Kayla and Bligh.”
