I told him I think we need Congressional hearings, said

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Article Last Updated: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 7:15:33 AM EST

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Mold victim lost her house, but not her zeal

By Don sson

PEPPERELL -- Fresh off a phone conversation with Massachusetts Sen.

O'Leary (D-Barnstable), was excited Monday

afternoon.

" I can't believe that he called me, " said of O'Leary. " He told

me he is very interested in the work I've been doing generating

interest in mold problems. " O'Leary has sponsored legislation to

create a consortium that will gather information about mold,

diseases it promotes, and its relevance to home ownership.

" I told him I think we need Congressional hearings, " said.

Last Thursday, had told her story about losing the family's

ee Road, Pepperell, home in a Boston City Council public

hearing. had become gravely ill from 32 varieties of pervasive

mold growing in her home that left her with multiple types of asthma

and bone marrow loss from the steroids used to fight them.

Nashoba Publishing / Love, stands in front of the

house that started it all, her first and only home, on ee Road

in Pepperell. She and her family were forced to abandon the duplex

when pervasive mold made her ill. is now a lightning rod for

fellow mold sufferers and is lobbying legislators to pass an anti-

mold law that would protect others, she says, from what she has

experienced.

Last month, she testified in a Washington, D.C. caucus to discuss

national mold legislation forwarded by Michigan congressman

Conyers Jr. to protect homeowners from toxic molds. There, she

initiated creation of a Children's Fund " giving tree " to provide

gifts for kids made homeless by mold.

Ever since , husband Rick, and autistic son, Cameron, were

forced to abandon their first home and all their possessions more

than a year ago because of black stachybotris mold that covered

their belongings, has been an increasingly active voice for

protection of fellow and potential sufferers.

" I told Rep. O'Leary that Sen. Kennedy's office is talking about

companion legislation. He promised that if there were anything he

could do to help to please give him a call, " said.

Asked if she enjoyed becoming a lobbyist, the diminutive, jobless

mother and housewife quickly replied, " I love it. "

and Mulvey son, former chief of staff for Boston

City Councilor Maura A. Hennigan, spearheaded the effort that

culminated in Hennigan convening last Thursday's public hearing.

son and other city workers had been exposed to mold in Boston

City Hall and suffered the same dizziness, nose bleeds and loss of

stamina that experienced in Pepperell. Like , Mulvey

son lost her job and has directed her efforts to seeing the

Conyer's legislation passed.

" It's important for Boston to be in the forefront because the city

is a Mecca for health care, guidance, and assistance and I know

they're not on top of this as best they can be, " Mulvey sen

said.

Ironically, the Boston Teacher's Union hall in which the hearing was

conducted was contaminated with mold. " The ceiling tiles were

bubbled downwards from leaks and were brown, " said. " People

were coughing and hacking the whole time. "

Participants included Carstens from Georgia, who operates an

Internet site ( www..com , teachers from California,

and len Lawson of Connecticut's Foundation for Environmentally

Safe Schools. Connecticut has passed anti-mold legislation,

said.

Lawson brought pictures of children having reactions to mold in

their school, and going into anaphylactic shock [similar to

reactions to peanut allergies]. The McKinley School in Fairfield,

Conn. was totally contaminated and young teachers had to take early

retirement.

" len was one of them, " said, " She was diagnosed with

hypersensitivity numinitis, an allergic inflammatory disease of the

small air sac of the lungs caused by mold. "

Conyers canceled his appearance because, as chairman of the House

Judiciary Committee, had been called to Ohio because of the voting

machine issue, said, but Segal, Conyer's senior aide for

health care, was present.

So was Doyle, attorney in her Chapter 93A unfair and

deceptive business practice law suit against both Realtors, the home

inspector involved in the sale of her former home, and a personal

liability suit against the former owner, also spoke.

" He compared my case to cases involving lead he had done for many

years, " said. " He said basically, Massachusetts doesn't have a

large case load of lead issues because they've all been the subject

of suits, and if that's the way to do it [with mold], we will.

" He brought up the money we're spending in Iraq and yet our children

aren't safe in school. I thought that was kind of impressive, "

said.

is spending most of her time helping a Quincy family of five

that has been without its Section 8 home for eight months because of

black mold that grew out of the walls.

" Saturday I gave them gifts from the Children's Fund tree, "

said, " and [Mulvey son] and I are trying to get the family

new housing.

The family is making do without 's former income as a

personal chef. Their former home is boarded up, and the mortgage has

been excused. They are a long way from financial solvency but

's zeal hasn't lessened.

Rick , who works in a chemical etching plant, is currently out

of work with severe calcium growth on his shoulder joints.