Fwd: 'Silicone' mother makes legal history

[Guest guest]

--- Rogene S <saxony01@...> wrote:

> Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 13:58:27 -0800 (PST)

> From: Rogene S <saxony01@...>

> Subject: 'Silicone' mother makes legal history

> < >,

> SiliconeKids <siliconekids >

>

> I wonder what the status of this law suit is, and

> how

> 's children are doing now? - Rogene

> --------------------------------------

>

> Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 6:16 PM Subject:

> 'Silicone' mother makes legal history ~ British news

> from 1997 Eastern Daily Press, January 12 1997

>

> 'Silicone' mother makes legal history Norfolk woman

> wins legal aid to sue over health problems By

>

> Batson A Norfolk mother is making legal history by

> suing the makers of a breast implant which she

> claims

> made her baby daughter ill. Campaigners are hailing

> Bowler's case as a worldwide breakthrough in

> the

> battle to get the implants banned and get

> compensation

> for the mothers and children left sick by silicone

> leakage.

>

> Last night an expert in America told the EDP said

> she

> had a strong medical case. But the Department of

> Health said that though there was a current study

> into

> silicone implants, there was no medical evidence

> that

> would justify a ban. Twenty-six-year-old from

> North Walsham had a single implant for medical

> reasons

> in January 1993 and says she was not warned of any

> potential risk. Now she thinks seepage of leaking

> silicone has left her and her family battling

> against

> sickness.

>

> Son Jordan was born almost a year later in December

> 1994. He was not breast fed, but suffered some

> illness

> including allergies to medicines, rashes, asthma and

> eczema. But it was when daughter la was born

> in

> April 1996 that the problems really showed up, said

> Mrs Bowler. 'I breast fed her for three days, after

> checking with the hospital it was safe. But I

> stopped

> because it was excruciatingly painful and I felt

> the

> implant move and pull.'

>

> Sickness, which started as soon as la was

> born,

> still dogs the 21-month-old girl today. 'Danny had

> chronic diarrhoea, stomach pains, never slept in the

> day, cried out in the sleep at night, and had a

> frightened staring look on her face. She still has

> dark rings under her eyes, blisters and thrush down

> below, and diarrhoea three times a day,' added the

> mum, whose health also suffered.

>

> 'I had a numb side of my body, painful muscles and

> joints, blinding headaches. I could not concentrate

> and ended up with ME. I used to be very fit, loved

> sport and dancing - but I could not even take the

> children to the shops.' It was when she contacted

> the

> Silicone Support UK group that she was told the

> family's problems were classic silicone leakage

> cases.

>

>

> Group spokesman Margot Cameron said 's was one

> of

> 50 family cases they were helping, but was the

> first

> in Britain to succeed in getting legal aid to

> investigate suing the foreign makers of the implants

> for the effects on children. They were also hoping a

> Government review of implants would result in a ban

> for health reasons as the 'evidence is

> overwhelming.'

>

> But a Department spokesman last night said there was

> not enough evidence to provoke a ban, adding: 'We

> are

> concerned about women's health and there is a review

> under way - but no evidence to change policy at the

> moment.'

>

> Mrs Bowler, of Birch Close, had her implant removed

> in

> September 1996. She is feeling a little better, and

> is

> determined to carry on the fight for the sake of

> her

> children and other families. 'I am only too aware of

> the distress it causes a woman if her breasts do

> not

> look right. But silicone implants have to be banned

> like they are in other countries.' 'If the

> Government

> can ban beef on the bone because of a slight risk,

> why not do the same with silicone implants,' she

> added.

>

> American expert Dr Radford Shanklin, who has been

> studying silicone problems for 12 years at the

> University of Tennessee in Memphis, said dangers

> had

> been known since the 1970s, but makers continued to

> deny any problems. Britain was lagging behind other

> countries such as the United States, Japan, Canada,

> Norway and France who had halted silicone implants.

> There were still some tests needed on la, but

> the Norfolk case was a strong one and 'an

> extraordinary breakthrough, which I hope will wake

> some people up.'

>

> * Anyone wanting to contact Silicone Support UK,

> should send a stamped addressed envelope to them at

> 2

> Cherrybank Road, Merrylee, Glasgow, G43 2PQ.*

> Eastern

> Daily Press, January 12 1997

>

>

>

>