A woman has died of a heart attack after undergoing a controversial cleansing procedure.
Natasha Lechner went into cardiac arrest after participating in a ‘kambo ceremony’ in her home in Mullumbimby, in northern NSW, on March 8.
The treatment involves applying kambo, a discharge emitted from an Amazonian green tree frog, onto the skin after it is burned with a stick.
However, after Ms Lechner’s ceremony, the 39-year-old’s body temperature plummeted and she passed out.
After another participant called an ambulance, but she couldn’t be revived and was pronounced dead at 11.15am.
Natasha Lechner, 39, (pictured) went into cardiac arrest after participating in a ‘kambo ceremony’ in her home in Mullumbimby, in northern NSW, on March 8
Kambo, although controversial, is a growing trend that is said to purge the body of toxins by making its participants vomit.
Ms Lechner’s twin brother, Christian, said his sister’s debilitating back pain, which she had been dealing with for more than 20 years, led her to the alternative therapy.
‘She was a hairdresser for 20 years and had sciatica and a crushed vertebrae and often cried in pain, she needed back surgery and high doses of pain killers,’ he told The Daily Telegraph.
‘I think she went on a path and began to search for more biologically friendly medicines.’
Ms Lechner was heavily involved in crystals, tarot and spiritual ceremonies and chased alternative therapies after suffering from severe back pain for more than 20 years
Her brother, Christian (pictured right with Ms Lechner) said it was her ‘conscious decision’to undergo the Kambo ceremony
Devastated after the loss of his twin, Christian took to Facebook to farewell his ‘best friend’.
‘I grew with her in our mothers womb, I watched her grow as a child, every minute. She was my reflection, my connection, my other half.’
Ms Lechner lived a spiritual life.
Her social media accounts are filled with images of crystals, tarot cards and spiritual ceremonies.
In 2013, she moved to Byron Bay, where her brother said she bonded with people with similar interests.
She underwent a training program to administer kambo in January and had also undergone the therapy several times in the past four years.
Spokeswoman for The International Association of Kambo Practitioners Sophie Perkins said Ms Lechner had not disclosed any health conditions prior to her training.
‘During the two weeks, no one saw anything that would give any cause for concern,’ she told The Daily Telegraph.
Kambo is a poison used as a traditional medicine in purging or cleansing rituals. It is a waxy substance collected by scraping the skin of an Amazonian tree frog (stock image)
The skin is blistered in several places with a hot stick and small amounts of kambo are applied to open wounds (stock image)
She also revealed that the person who administered kambo to Ms Lechner was not a licensed practitioner.
Five deaths have been linked to Kambo across the world since its introduction.
According to the IAKP’s website, kambo can have serious adverse side effects or reactions in some people, including seizures and death – especially if it accidentally enters the bloodstream.
Although it is not commonly practiced, Australia has the third-largest number of kambo practitioners in the world behind the US and the UK.
It is readily available from specific practitioners for certain ceremonies.
Tweed Byron Police confirmed the kambo ceremony was one aspect they would investigate in regards to the death of Ms Lechner.
The kambo ‘poison’ also has a risk of serious adverse side effects including seizures and death, especially if it enters the bloodstream – it is not commonly practiced in Australia but is available from specific practitioners at certain ceremonies