On his eighth birthday Cohen was in such unbearable pain he was severely depressed. For his mother Carlee, it was a heartbreaking realisation.
Carlee explains that having her eight-year-old son say he could no longer see the point of existence was incredibly 'confronting.'
'That's pretty confronting and hard to talk about,' she says. 'But some things you are not equipped to help your kids with.'
However, it all changed when Carlee found a cure for Cohen's skin.
Carlee and Cohen travelled to France, and seeked treatment at Avene's hydrotherapy centre. The thermal spring water that flows through the mountains in the small town of Avene - about seven hours south of Paris - is used to treat people with all forms of eczema, psoriasis, scars, burns and many other skin conditions.
Up to that point Cohen had been admitted to hospital 38 times and had 11 visits to the emergency room, and it was all about to change!
Carlee's husband claims he didn't even recognise his own son when photos of Cohen's skin emerged after his first week at the hydrotherapy centre.
For more information on Avene centre click here: Avene Hydrotherapy Centre
If you or anyone you know needs support please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
This article originally appeared on New Idea.
