Aust. girl, aged 3, has A.I.D.S.—family

Press, 18 April 1986, Page 5

Aust. girl, aged 3, has A.I.D.S.—family

PA Napier New Zealand tests have shown that the Australian girl, Eve van Grafhorst, aged three, has A.1.D.5., her family said yesterday. Eve, who was banned from pre-school classes in Kincumber, New South Wales, last year, was brought to New Zealand for blood tests after conflicting results of tests in Sydney. Eve’s grandmother, Mrs Marion Taylor, of Hastings, said results received yesterday showed that Eve had the virus, but

nobody knew if it would develop in a fatal form. Eve is thought to have been exposed to the virus during blood transfusions in her first three months of life. Mrs Taylor said Eve and her mother would return home tomorrow. The family “will just carry on with the treatment and look after her.” Mrs van Grafhorst said in a television interview that she had no reason to doubt the New Zealand tests. She dreaded returning home, where she said neighbours had shunned her daughter, believing

that she might spread the disease. She said Eve appeared a normal, healthy child and that the family would have to wait and see what happened. The New Zealand public had been extremely kind. Many had sent letters and presents and others had sought out Eve to play with their children. The prospect of returning home now knowing finally that Eve had returned a positive test was "horrific,” Mrs van Grafhorst said;