Preparing for MCS Awareness Month, May 2010: Wear something yellow for May Day!

Posted on Apr 30, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Guest Bloggers, MCS

May is International MCS Awareness Month. We’d like to bring awareness of this illness and its prevalence by asking anyone with MCS and their supporters to wear something YELLOW on MAY DAY.

By guestblogger Lady Itchalot, Canada.

Here is the article that I just submitted to the Winnipeg Free Press City Desk. Cross your fingers that they publish it!

MAY DAY! We need your help!

You may have seen me when I’m out for a walk or on the rare occasions when I go shopping. I wear a mask.

I have an invisible illness called Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS). I get reactions from the chemicals in every day products such as scented detergents and laundry softeners, personal products, vehicle exhaust and many more. Another name for this illness, as recognized by the Canadian Human Rights Commission, is Environmental Sensitivities.

My reactions can vary from simple headaches to memory loss, loss of muscle coordination, asthma, sinusitis, vision distortion, fatigue, swollen tongue, aching joints, brain fog, loss of vocabulary, and more.

Statistics Canada states that about 3% of the population in Canada has Environmental Sensitivities. That translates to about 20,000 people in Winnipeg alone!

May is International MCS Awareness Month. We’d like to bring awareness of this illness and its prevalence by asking anyone with MCS and their supporters to wear something YELLOW on MAY DAY.

You may know of someone with “perfume allergy.” One in four people have some difficulty with their health because of the chemicals in modern-day perfumes.

Where are all these people I’m talking about? Probably right near you!

My mask enables me to go places outside of my safe home environment. Not all people with this illness are so fortunate.

On Saturday, May 1, wear yellow in support of people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Help bring visibility to this invisible illness!

For more information about environmental sensitivities, visit the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The health and ability for those with environmental sensitivities rests with the choices and actions of others.