The Canary Report

CFL bulbs are not a safe choice for people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Posted on Feb 09, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Products, Susie Collins

Lighting can be a difficult issue for people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, but compact fluorescent bulbs are not the answer.

Compact fluorescent lighting (CFL)  is a classic example of something being touted as green but in fact being anything but. While CFL bulbs use less electricity, and therefore are lessening the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, they contain trace levels of mercury, which can be released into the environment if they are accidentally broken, like in your home. In many states, CFL bulbs are regarded as hazardous waste, and in those states it is illegal to just throw out the old bulbs with the regular trash; they must be recycled at hazardous waste recycling centers. Of course the problem with this is that most people are not doing that, they just toss out the bulbs with the trash.

But getting back to the topic of CFLs in regards to people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Here are my thoughts on the topic:

CFL bulbs are toxic, period. If one breaks, trace mercury is released into the environment– that means if the bulb breaks in your bedroom, the mercury is in your bedroom and you are at risk for breathing vapors. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin. Clean up would be an expensive nightmare. Here’s an article “objectively” arguing that if you break a CFL bulb, there’s really nothing to worry about because only trace amounts of mercury vapor are released and so it probably won’t do any harm– the problem with that argument is that people with MCS can be made seriously ill from trace levels of toxic chemicals, especially neurotoxic.

The very first rule for someone with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is to limit exposure to toxic chemicals, limit risk. I don’t care how much electricity you save with a CFL bulb, it is not worth the risk to have a bulb break inside your home.

Further, many people with MCS also have problems with the flicker of fluorescent bulbs. It’s simply not the best choice for someone whose body is stressed from chemical injury.

Right now, Light Emitting Diode or LED (at left) is the best lighting choice if you can afford it. While some people with light sensitivity may have problems with the brightness of LED, there are things you can do to lesson that brightness like shades, filters, or fixtures that create indirect light in the room. Otherwise, halogen or plain old light bulbs are best for canaries (you can play with full spectrum to see if it works for you or not). Try to stay away from fluorescent and CFL lighting as much as possible; I do not recommended that you bring CFLs into your home at all.

Thanks to Dennis, Connie, Hank, Linda, and Katrina for their contributions to this report!

Photo credit

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Tags: Environment, Healthy Living, Home, Indoor Pollution, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Products, Toxic

Chemically-safe building practices: what we did when we renovated our bathroom

Posted on Jan 29, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Guest Bloggers, Products

Many of the resources used were environmentally-friendly, but it should be noted that “green” does not always mean “chemically safe.”

By Guest Blogger Catherine Ockey

Background

In the spring of 2009 we discovered a leak in a shower faucet in our home. Upon further investigation it was determined that water had been leaking down an inside wall for some time and had caused damage to the bathroom walls and subflooring. The process of repair and reconstruction occurred over a three-week period in the fall of 2009. Before the actual work began, however, I did a lot of research into chemically-safe (or safer) building products and found a contractor willing to follow my instructions explicitly. I am happy to share more details of my experience with anyone by phone or through email. Following is a summary of what we did.

Contractor

We found a contractor with experience in environmentally friendly building practices. He had previously built an entire house for a person with MCS, so he had some familiarity with the issues. However, every person with MCS has slightly different issues, so I micro-managed the entire project myself from start to finish. I let the contractor know upfront that this is how it would be done and also had this written into our contract with him.

Resources

Books

Prescriptions for a Healthy House, 3rd edition: A Practical Guide for Architects, Builders & Homeowners by Paula Baker-Laporte, Erica Elliott and John Banta. (Both my contractor and I had a copy of this book. It was our most valuable resource.)

The Healthy House by John Bower. (I have an older edition of this, but I believe it has been updated.)

Magazines

Fine Home Building
Green@Home
Mother Earth News

Web sites

Care2 Green Living
Safer Building

Various manufacturer’s Web sites

Lassen Technologies
Ecohaus
Healthy House Institute
Guide to Less Toxic Products
Safe Shopper’s Directory: Building Materials

[...]

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Tags: Healthy Living, Home, Mold, Products

More blogging canaries

Posted on Jan 26, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, MCS, Susie Collins

A couple of blogs came up on my radar this week that I wanted to share with you.

Healthologist & well seasoned Nurse. Out of the box practical thinker with common sense. Fabric Artist – Quilter. Problem Solver.

My first find is Kathy AK’s Blog at Open Salon. Kathy is a new member of The Canary Report community, and among her topics at Open Salon, she blogs about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. In the post Visiting someone with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, she writes:

There are not any products that I am not neurologically reactive to. It is just a matter as to how reactive or sensitive to them I am and how ill a specific product will make me.

So, please leave them all at home.

Those “all natural” fragranced products are not safe around me either. While some products are worse than others, all WILL make me sick to some degree, probably too sick for you to even come into my home or to enjoy your company.

A nurse with over 25 years experience (and a quilter to boot), Kathy’s also encouraged her readers to Make the connection — Chemicals & Fragrances make you sick, and asked them to consider When Scented cleaners do not make good Cents.

~~~

Sundog –noun 1. parhelion. 2. a small or incomplete rainbow.

I also found Sundog Tales by Lisa, who describes herself as “a survivor of the devastation multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).”

Lisa writes a lovely blog, full of detail, emotion and tales of a survivor.

I was feeling energetic and alive. My brain fog was noticeably less and it felt like just out of the corner of my eye I kept catching glances of what it would be like to have no fog at all. That little glimpse you catch of something that is mythical and mysterious but no matter how quick you are to turn and look you always just missed it. But I knew it was there and almost tangible.

Lisa and her partner Jeremy are living in a tent in the foothills of Washington state. They are living in the tent through winter and several of her blog posts describe the harrowing experience of cold and freezing temps (while battling CFS and MCS). They are currently building a straw bale house.

~~~

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Tags: Environmental Health, Environmental Illness, Healthy Living, Home, Indoor Pollution, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity housing survey

Posted on Jan 21, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Healthy Living, MCS, Products, Susie Collins

Home renovation expert launches survey to discover the housing needs of people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Please take a moment to participate!

James Van Raden, doing home renovation services under the name Paragon Renovations in North Dakota and Minnesota is starting a new “energy efficient affordable housing” business called Building Impressions. He’s expressed interest in including safe homes for people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity as part of his services. To that end, he’s currently conducting an exploratory survey to discover the needs of people with MCS.

James is a member of our Canary Report social network and I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with him. I think he’s genuinely interested in exploring the housing needs of people with chemical sensitivity and sees as his goal the creation of safe housing for people with MCS. I hope you’ll join me in supporting his efforts.

Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey so James has the information he needs to develop this aspect of his business.

Hello Everyone!

The housing study is ready and can be accessed by visiting

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB22A53MHW7T7

Thanks everyone for your willingness to participate and the survey is limited to 100 responses and I hope that there are many more that wish to take the survey than that!

If there is more interest in participating than 100 I will create another study so PLEASE visit the study page and answer as many questions as you are willing.

Also, for those NOT afflicted with MCS please leave the study for those that are and I appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Warmest regards,

James Van Raden

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Tags: Environmental Health, Home, Housing, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Products, Support

Xtrema cooking

Posted on Jan 20, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Food, Products, Susie Collins

Founder of Xtrema cookware says it’s made of nontoxic material that can be left on the heat indefinitely and not emit toxic fumes even if boiled bone dry.

This Xtrema cookware looks interesting, coated in a nontoxic ceramic glaze that will not emit toxic fumes even if cooked bone dry on high heat. The high heat safety factor is in comparison to Teflon, which studies show emits dangerous toxic fumes when overheated. Xtrema also claims their nylon lids and utensils are nontoxic.

Feature: High temperature, ultra-durable non- scratch finish, inside and out.

Benefit: Xtrema products feature a revolutionary and technologically advanced ceramic non-scratch ceramic glaze on the inside and outside of every vessel. This ceramic-glaze consists of 100% natural ceramic materials and is completely environmentally safe. The glaze will never emit gaseous or toxic odors (at any temperature), it will not be damaged by the use of metal cooking utensils, and will never peel or flake off into the food. The ceramic glaze on the outside of the cookware also provides faster clean-up and helps keep Xtrema cookware looking brand new, year after year.

The flash graphic on the header on their website is a little scary: thick black smoke curling and swirling. But they say their product is as nontoxic as they come.

The founder of Xtrema is Rich Bergstrom, a former Corning representative. I love my Corning baking dish–I’ve had it for 30 years–and I often recommend Corning to canaries asking about cookware. Bergstrom has something interesting to say about Corning:

Corning Ware manufacturing facility in Martinsburg, WV was closed and dismantled in 2002. Corning Ware is still being marketed today by World Kitchen but the product is now being made of stoneware and not the patented pyro-ceram material that made Corning Ware so recognizable.

Hmmm. Not sure I can recommend that product anymore, at least not until I am convinced the new material is as superior and nontoxic as the old Corning. Is anyone using Corning purchased after 2002?

Has anyone tried Xtrema? It’s not cheap. This darling tea set is $129 and their most basic skillet about $100. But I think it’s going on my wish list. Right after the new HEPA air filter and organic cotton futon for the bedroom.

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Tags: Children's Health, Food, Healthy Living, Home, Indoor Pollution, Nontoxic, Products

Linda Sepp launches a blog about her urgent housing needs

Posted on Jan 17, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Linda Sepp, MCS, Susie Collins

The main purpose of Linda’s blog is to send out a clarion call for help in securing safe water, clothing and place to live. Are you able to help?

Canary Report contributor Linda Sepp launched her own blog today! I am doing the admin on the site but the writing is all Linda’s.

As many of you know, Linda suffers severe Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and is housebound. She faces eviction on April 4. She’s using the blog to explain her urgent housing needs in the hopes of finding people who can help her in securing safe water, clothing and place to live. Other than a limited amount of support given by Canada’s social services, Linda’s basically been abandoned by her country’s safety net, even though Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Environmental Sensitivities are fully recognized by the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The urgency of Linda’s situation cannot be over emphasized given the looming eviction. Please visit her blog, read through the posts and pages, and if you are able to help her in any way, please do so! I’m especially interested in finding people in Toronto who can help Linda with everything from daily chores like shopping and shoveling snow, to the larger challenges such as installing a water filter and finding her a safe home.

Linda’s challenges are great but I’m convinced there are people out there who can help her. We just need to find them and enlist their help. Please do all you can to brainstorm about this, or more importantly, implement action!

From Linda’s “About” page:

I am disabled and housebound from severe Multiple Chemical Sensitivities / Environmental Sensitivities (MCS/ES) and chemically induced Fibromyalgia (FM) as well as some ElectroHyperSensitivity (EHS). My symptoms and abilities are directly, and often severely impacted by exposure to petro-chemicals, moulds, wireless technologies and high electrical fields, yet most resolve when I am able to avoid exposures. There may be some residual and permanent brain damage, but we won’t know until I have safe housing and the therapeutic supports required to repair and heal the damage.

My critical and urgent needs list includes: 1) a whole house water filtration system and installation, 2) a washing machine, 3) clothing, 4) a housing search and preparation, and 5) an advocate to help me navigate the processes to secure it all. Are you able to help me in any way?

Bloggers, please add Linda’s blog to your blogroll and share her story with your readers. Please do all you can to find people who can help her secure safe water, clothing and a place to live. You can also donate funds by check or PayPal, or purchase some needed clothing for Linda.

Together, we can make this happen!

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Tags: Air, Environmental Health, Health, Healthy Living, Home, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Nontoxic, Support, Water

New website launched on fragrance-free living

Posted on Jan 15, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Products, Susie Collins

New website warns of the dangers of toxic fragrance in personal care products and other consumer goods.

A new website just came up on my radar about Fragrance-Free Living. It’s run by former auto mechanic David Tywoniuk, who now owns an auto body shop in Edmonton, Canada. He and Judy Sterling put the website together.

Here is a really good reason as to why you might want to try “Fragrance Free Living”. Did you know that the ingredient “Fragrance” used in most of the above products can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate, mostly man-made ingredients? Many compounds in fragrance are human toxins and suspected or proven to cause cancer. Symptoms reported include: headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discolorations, violent coughing and vomiting and allergic skin irritation. Observations by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrance can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes. 100% of perfumes contain toluene, which can cause liver, kidney and brain damage as well as damage to a developing fetus.

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Tags: Air, Asthma, Chemicals, Cosmetics, Fragrance, Healthy Living, Home, Indoor Pollution, Perfume, Personal Care, Sick Building, Stink, Toxic

Book ties toxic chemicals to rising healthcare costs

Posted on Jan 11, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Environment, Home & Garden, Linda Sepp, Media/Videos, Research

Our Chemical Lives And The Hijacking Of Our DNA: A Probe Into What’s Probably Making Us Sick, by Catherine J. Frompovich (2009, BookSurge Publishing)

Post by Linda Sepp.

I just ran across a reference to this.

From the Industrial revolution and onward, the world has become an environment that is overflowing with dangerous toxins. Mass manufacturing has resulted in thousands of chemical pollutants being released in the atmosphere, water, and soil. As well, there has been a widespread increase of chemicals being added to almost every type of food and retail product. With this overwhelming chemical exposure, there has been an increase in research and studies showing the life threatening impacts on our health and well being. In her book, Our Chemical Lives And The Hijacking Of Our DNA, author Catherine J Frompovich delves into the effects of a chemical laden world on the body at a cellular level.

Our Chemical Lives And The Hijacking Of Our DNA is an important “wake up call’ about the current and future state of our toxic environment and what will happen if important changes are not made. Not only is it highly educational, the attention to detail makes the book a handy health resource tool. It is highly recommended to not just mass readers, but also to politicians, manufacturing industry officials, and health professionals.

Link to the author’s website.

Link to Amazon.com and good review.

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Tags: Books, Chemicals, Children's Health, Environment, Environmental Health, Environmental Illness, Fragrance, Home, Indoor Pollution, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Pesticides, Toxic

How to travel with a little help from your friends

Posted on Jan 06, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, Guest Bloggers, Keith Carlson, MCS

Advance work when traveling: A letter to friends and family about how to prepare for a visit from loved ones with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

By guest blogger Mary Rives.

(Editor’s Note: Mary is the wife of Canary Report contributor Keith Carlson. Mary and Keith are currently living full-time in their new RV, traveling the highways and byways of America, visiting intentional communities, and bringing Laughter Yoga and the benefits of health and wellness coaching to new and old friends along the way. Read more about their trip at Mary and Keith’s Excellent Adventure.)

This is a letter my friend kindly wrote for me. I edited it and then sent it to my parents yesterday. I am offering it to anyone as a prep tool should you go visiting with “chem people.” I plan to follow the letter up with an email and call. I suggest you find a friend who would agree to sign off on the letter. Here ya go:

Dear friends of Mary Rives, Keith Carlson, (and dog Tina),

Hi! My name is A.L., a longtime friend of Mary and Keith from Washington, D.C. I was at their wedding 20 years ago on July 2, 1989, and I have traveled and vacationed with them, visited each other long distances, met each others’ families and have been there for each other through many of life’s twists and turns.

As you know, our dear friends/family members are traveling the country in their RV (affectionately known as “Rigatina”) after simplifying their lives, including selling their home and letting go of most of their belongings. They will be experiencing the relief of permanently leaving the long, cold winters of New England that worsened Keith’s pain syndrome and increased Mary’s intermittent low back pain. They’re now living more simply in their radically downsized and carefully prepared non-toxic environment of their rig and have already visited more than a dozen intentional communities, perhaps to find one to live in near like-minded people in 2010. I know that visiting friends and family is an important part of their journey as they make a huge horseshoe trek, now completing the East Coast and soon to travel westward across the Gulf Coast. They will be in touch when they are nearer to your home.

I am writing to you because I’m concerned for Mary and Keith’s health. In addition to Keith’s Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Mary’s intermittent back pain, Mary and Keith have been chemically injured from a severe mold infestation in the attic of their previous home which has predisposed their bodies to being intolerant of many basic products designed for every day personal, home and office use. They have both been diagnosed, and are in treatment by environmental health specialist doctors, for what is known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) or Environmental Illness (EI).

[...]

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Tags: Chemicals, Healthy Living, Home, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Support

Toxic tiny bubbles in the tub

Posted on Dec 27, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Keith Carlson, Products

Post by Keith Carlson.

Come follow our RV traveling adventures at Mary and Keith’s Excellent Adventure.

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Tags: Chemicals, Children's Health, Home, Indoor Pollution, Products, Toxic

Canary in a coal mine made it to the tree

Posted on Dec 27, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, MCS, Susie Collins

Photo by Connie Rae.

Thanks, Connie!

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Tags: Art, Home, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Photography

Film review: Chemerical

Posted on Dec 26, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Healthy Living, Linda Sepp, Media/Videos

Review by Linda Sepp.

I would give a copy of this film to everyone if I could afford it.

I received a copy of the new documentary film Chemerical and wanted to share a few thoughts with you about it. The film shows how a family detoxifies and survives to tell the tale, AND not only that, they save money by cooking up some of their own products.

This is a really good film for people who haven’t thought about how they are poisoning themselves and just buy chemicals off the shelf for their kitchen, bathroom, cleaning and personal care use, either because they don’t believe there is a problem or they think buying healthy products is too inconvenient.

The film isn’t heavy, even though the subject is, and encourages the viewer to make changes instead of just hitting you on the head.

I would have made a few more points, including some info on neuro-toxins and endocrine disruptors, as well as hammered in that air “fresheners” are poison instead of just not fresheners. The microbiologist made a comment about air fresheners, which showed he wasn’t a chemist. That should have been edited, but his other stuff was good. They didn’t mention that essential oils have to be USDA certified organic to be safe, and that EO need to be used carefully as they can be sensitizers even if organic. I might also have mentioned that not all soap is created equal, but that might be in the documentation that can be downloaded if you join the Chemerical Community from their website. (All the site’s pages might not be up and running quite yet.)

The film has a segment with a woman with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and Dr. Lynn Marshall from the Environmental Health Institute in Ontario. Stacy Malkan is also there for a bit, as is Dr. Rick Smith from Environmental Defence. They mention the Environmental Working Group’s cosmetics safety database, too. And a few other experts, like one who tests their indoor air quality before and after they embark on detoxifying their lives from unnecessary chemical use.

I would give a copy of this film to everyone if I could afford it.

In Sweden a number of years ago, Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, a Swedish doctor and cancer scientist, wanted to create a consensus among governments, business people and environmentalists as to what must at least be agreed to safe guard prosperous life.

“With the support of His Majesty the King of Sweden, Karl XVI Gustaf, this ‘consensus document’ and accompanying audio tape was sent to every household and school in Sweden.”

This eventually went on to become The Natural Step.

If only we had a King Gustaf who would help deliver films like Chemerical, we would soon have a safer world for all living beings.

Link to purchase Chemerical.

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Tags: Chemicals, Children's Health, Environmental Health, Health, Home, Indoor Pollution, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Personal Care, Products, Sick Building, Video

Surviving the holidays: Guidelines for visiting people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Posted on Dec 24, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Healthy Living, MCS, Susie Collins

Your home may be your only safe haven from chemical exposures. Here are some guidelines to give family and friends before they visit over the holidays.

The holidays are strewn with toxic chemical landmines for people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Some of our biggest problems can be brought to us by visitors who truly love us– family and friends– but who do not understand MCS or why we are put on the defensive during holiday visits. They don’t understand why we just don’t get over ourselves, welcome them with open arms and big hugs, and join the merriment. Meanwhile, we are overwhelmed with perfumes, freshly dyed and coiffed hairdos, laundry products and dryer sheet residues on people’s clothing, holiday potpourris, scented candles, food that can make us sick, new products brought as gifts that knock us on our butts, and tons more toxic products.

The Allergy, Sensitivity, and Environmental Health Association of Australia has some excellent information to educate family, friends and other people on what may be needed in order to visit people who have MCS. Individuals will vary as to what is acceptable or not, but ASEHA’s “Guidelines for visiting a person with MCS” gives a good starting point on the types of things that need to be considered.

It has in many cases taken years for someone with MCS to clear their homes of products that contain chemicals that adversely affect their health. This is no mean feat, try maintaining a home without being able to use commercially available paints, wallpapers, cleaning products, insulating products etc. Even after years of dealing with the challenges there are difficulties. The home of a person with MCS may be their only SAFE HAVEN from chemical exposures. Please respect this space; it has often taken a long time to make it happen.

If your visit brings with it a number of chemical contaminants, the person may:

* Become total disabled,
* Suffer an asthma attack that is difficult to resolve as the person cannot use medications normally used to treat attacks,
* Have a major life threatening reaction (anaphylaxis)
* Experience a permanent deterioration in their health, a greater degree of sensitivity to chemicals, and probably to an even larger range of products and chemicals.
* Be afflicted by pain, disorientation, discomfort, migraine etc.

If you have any questions about chemical sensitivity and the needs of the person you are planning to visit please ask – BEFORE YOU VISIT.

Link to full copy of the Guidelines.

Thanks, Linda!

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Tags: Chemicals, Environmental Health, Home, Indoor Pollution, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Products, Toxic

U.S. senator responds to a canary by talking in circles

Posted on Dec 22, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Products, Susie Collins

“Many consumers are concerned that the cosmetics industry is using chemicals in its products that are linked to cancer and other health problems,” answers Sen. Tom Carper to a canary constituent’s pleas for action. But what are lawmakers actually doing about it?

Canary Report community member Linda Delp asked me to share this with you. It’s a letter to her from her state of Delaware’s senator, Tom Carper. “The letter just shows how they talk in circles don’t you think?” says Linda. “I have so many letters from him and Senator Biden, it just gets exhausting.”

December 22, 2009

Dear Mrs. Delp:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for legislation to strengthen oversight and regulation of the cosmetics industry. I appreciate hearing from you about this important matter.

As you know, many consumers are concerned that the cosmetics industry is using chemicals in its products that are linked to cancer and other health problems. A class of industrial chemicals, phthates, are commonly used as fragrances in shampoo and lotion, but have been shown to lead to birth defects, asthma, and impaired development. Under current law, manufacturers are not required to list the individual ingredients of fragrance on labels, which limits consumers’ ability to avoid potentially hazardous chemicals.

As you also may know, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal agency that regulates cosmetic safety. However, the FDA has different legal authority over cosmetic products than it does over drugs, food, and medicine. Unlike these products, cosmetics are not subject to a FDA premarket approval process. Instead, cosmetic firms are responsible for ensuring the safety of their products and ingredients before marketing. If infractions of safety regulations or consumer complaints arise, the FDA can take regulatory action. For more information concerning the FDA’s regulation of cosmetics, please visit http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/default.htm.

With that said, I have heard from a number of constituents who believe that current regulation of cosmetics under the FDA are inadequate. While there is no current legislation that would provide the FDA with stricter oversight of cosmetics, I will be sure to share your comments with my colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over this matter. Thank you again for contacting my office. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or other matters of importance to you.

With best personal regards, I am

Sincerely,

Tom Carper
United States Senator

To send another message please visit my website at http://carper.senate.gov/contact and fill out the webform for a prompt response. Thank you.

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Tags: Chemicals, Children's Health, Environmental Health, FDA, Home, Indoor Pollution, Policy, Products

Out of the mouths of babes

Posted on Dec 18, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, MCS, Susie Collins

The 13-year-old son of Canary Report member Susan K. made this wonderful poster on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity for his health class.

Proud mom Susan explains:

My son made this poster for his school project in order to help educate people about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. He researched and did this all on his own at age 13…I am so proud of him!

This project was for his health class… he told me that the teacher told them they had to do an educational poster on a disease/illness. They were to raise their hands and when she called on them they were to tell her what subject they chose to do their poster on. He said when she called on him ,he told her that was doing his poster on MCS… she then looked confused and asked him “what is MCS?” And he replied “Multiple Chemical Sensitivity… my mom has it.” And she said, “Oh… o.k….”

He did this whole poster himself and I just absolutely am so, so proud of his work. I did give him constructive criticism when he asked me. And I realize that he has a total understanding of this condition as he lives with it everyday with me. I still have some trouble sometimes myself explaining to folks who question about it. But it is so awesome to see my son be so matter of fact about it! For instance, when the teacher asked him “What is MCS?” I can picture him just looking her in the eye and explaining to her so matter of fact and wondering why on earth she would even question it?!

The posters were hanging in the hallway of his school for a few weeks… I wonder how many teachers and/or students read it and thought, “Hey,I have some of those symptoms.” Sad that there are so many, but happy if this project would help educate them!

Bravo! It’s really quite extraordinary when a young man understands better about a modern illness than most physicians. Hats off to Susan for bringing up this bright and caring son who will always have genuine compassion and kindness not only for people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, but for all people who are ill and disabled.

As another member of our community says, “I would like to give him a ‘Canary feather for his cap’ award! Good job!” I couldn’t agree more, here you go!

Poster reprinted with permission.

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Tags: Chemicals, Children's Health, Environment, Healthy Living, Home, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Research