FDRC a Colorado-based nonprofit corporation is being launched

[Guest guest]

COLORADO MOUNTAIN CLIMBER FOUNDS NATIONAL NONPROFIT TO AID VICTIMS

OF TOXIC MOLD

-- For immediate Release --

August 2, 2005 -- Castle Rock, CO --

Adventure sports photographer Lee has founded a

national charitable nonprofit to aid victims made sick by toxic

mold.

, himself a recovering toxic mold poisoning victim, saw a need

during his own battle with illness and launched the Fungal Disease

Resource Center (FDRC) to help solve an issue recently described by

senior congressional staff as a public health emergency.

" After years of disabling illness, and with no help from doctors, I

finally determined that mold from a home I lived in years before had

contaminated all of my possessions, and was literally killing me, "

said . " In November of 2003, I threw out nearly everything

I owned, including my commercial photo library, and decided to go

camping in the fresh air of the outdoors to recover. "

The FDRC is a Colorado-based nonprofit corporation and has received

expedited emergency application processing for 501©(3) status with

the IRS. FDRC will raise nearly a million dollars in its first year

for victim services and research support. " This amount of money

won't solve all the problems in the next year, but it's going to be

a good start " said . FDRC has recruited help from a variety

of disciplines – doctors, Congressional staff, and legal and media

professionals, among others – and has a vast support network

consisting of recovering victims. " The talent base we have for this

effort is invaluable – we're thankful for their support, guidance

and commitment to solving this problem, " said .

's personal story is one of the reasons FDRC has attracted its

initial support. estimates having spent over 300 nights

outdoors in 2004, many times in subfreezing temperatures. Here, he

found breathing clean air gave his immune system a rest, and that he

was able to slowly recover from what he now recognizes as

poisoning. " For people who are susceptible to this -- and new

research shows that means almost 25% of the population -- mold in

your home can slowly poison you, and then your immune system goes

berserk. "

In September of 2004, testified before the U.S. House of

Representatives in support of a bill intended to aid victims of

toxic mold. But it has been an uphill battle. Despite hand-

delivering materials and the written testimony of hundreds of

victims across the country to virtually every office of the U.S.

House and many members of the Senate, there has been little response

from lawmakers -- either in Colorado or the rest of the country.

Segal, Public Affairs Director for Congressman Conyers (D-

MI), has acknowledged the problem. In a public statement during a

national forum conducted by the US Surgeon General in January 2005,

he said, " We've had more calls on this than any other single issue,

including universal health care -- since sponsoring House Resolution

1268 (in support of aid to toxic mold victims), we have been

receiving at least 10 calls per day for the last three years from

victims who are displaced, calling from motels, sick and living in

cars, " he reports.

Says . " I'm not alone in Colorado -- every week, more people

who have been affected by toxic mold poisoning find us though our

advocate network. Their lives are utterly destroyed -- you lose

your health, your home and everything you own -- and no one cares. "

" Everyone from small children to the elderly are dying from this --

something has to be done. So we're going to step up and do the

right thing until the government can see fit to do the same. But we

can't do it alone. " The FDRC seeks public donations and public

health grants to support its work.

Leading physician researcher and FDRC Medical Director Ritchie

Shoemaker, MD offers advice to fellow practitioners. " The acute

and chronic illnesses caused by mold are easily diagnosed using a

published case definition. We have effective screening, treatment

and followup procedures -- no one should suffer needlessly from mold

illness. For physicians, learning to identify these disorders is

not only simple -- but also an insight into an exiting new field of

medicine. "

concludes, " People need to know that when they support the

FDRC they are not only helping others, they are protecting

themselves and their families with knowledge of the true health

risks from mold. "

For more information, visit the Fungal Disease Resource Center on

the web at:

http://www.fdrcinc.org <http://www.fdrcinc.org/>

<http:www.fdrcinc.org> <http://www.fdrcinc.org/>

We don't have any funds at the moment, so please be patient until we

can actually provide some support services. We truly hope that we

can help people begin to reclaim their health by providing guidance

and accurate information.

Carstens (KC)

Moderator of:

/

Media contacts:

FDRC media office

(719) 429 4787

media@...

Lee / Commercial photography site

http://www.jonathanleewright.com

<http://www.jonathanleewright.com/>

Congressman Conyers, Jr / Link to legislation HR1269

http://www.house.gov/conyers/mold.htm

Dean Barnhart / American Family Insurance

(800) 374 1111

dbarnhar@...

Segal / Office of the Honorable Conyers, Jr.

Congressman (D-MI)

(202) 225 8928

Fuller / Office of Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO)

(212) 224 5852

melanie_fuller@...

Ken Lane / Office of Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO)

(202) 224 5852

Ken_Lanesalazar_senate (DOT) gov

Schick / Office of Congressman Hefly (R-CO)

(202) 225 4442

.Schick@...

Dunn / Assistant Attorney General of Colorado

(303) 866 4500

jason.dunn@...