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Toxic mould survivor to start a support group on Island

By Sam Strangeways

September 22, 2009

A

woman who developed meningitis and brain lesions due to mould toxicity

is setting up a support group in Bermuda for fellow sufferers.

Raquel Burgesson told The Royal Gazette that far too little was known on the

Island about the health problems

triggered by mould, despite high-profile cases such as the CedarBridge

Academy crisis of 2006, when staff and students became sick in the

infested school.

" People

have to be educated, from the Health Department, to the media, to

lawmakers, to everybody, " said Ms Burgesson. " I'm offering help and

support and comfort to other people who think they may have been

exposed.

" But

of course, I can't do a support group if I don't have names. What I

want people to know is that mould does make you sick.. I'm basically

trying to bring about awareness. "

The

36-year-old former administrative assistant started suffering from

severe headaches, dizziness and exhaustion at the start of this decade

and visited 13 doctors in Bermuda, but failed to get a diagnosis.

Tests

at s Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore showed three lesions on her

brain — but the cause was unknown and nothing was prescribed that

counteracted the debilitating symptoms she was suffering.

Ms

Burgesson began to suspect that mould in her Sandys apartment was to

blame but didn't get it tested for indoor air quality until she

contracted meningitis in 2007 and moved out to her parents' home

upstairs to recover.

The

tests revealed high levels of toxic mould and Ms Burgesson has since

been diagnosed by doctors overseas with mycotoxicosis (fungal

poisoning) and demyelination (loss of the substance that insulates

nerve endings).

Her

parents remediated her apartment at a cost of tens of thousands of

dollars and her symptoms have lessened, though she remains unable to

work.

Last

year, she joined the National Indoor Mold Society, based in New Jersey,

and is now its vice president. The organisation has persuaded five

states in the US to adopt proclamations on mould toxicity and declare

September as National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month.

Ms

Burgesson said she hoped Bermuda — where mould infestation caused by

humidity is a huge problem and has led to problems at public buildings

including schools, King VII Memorial Hospital, the library and

Supreme Court — would follow suit.

" I

don't regret going through anything because I'm within God's will, " she

said. " I know one of the reasons why this happened to me was to ensure

that there has to be more awareness about mould.

" People

need to understand the difference between allergy and toxicity.

Toxicity is when the mould has entered your body and lodged into your

bloodstream. "

<center><a

href= " /admanagement/servlet/advertBeans.GetLinkServlet?region=6 & zone=18 & type=nos\

si & target=browser "

target= " _top " ><img

src= " /admanagement/servlet/advertBeans.GetAdServlet?region=6 & zone=18 & type=nossi "

width= " 300 " height= " 250 " border=1 ALT= " Click to Visit " ></a><br><a

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si "

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our Sponsor</strong></font></a></center>

She

still " suffers greatly " from health problems, including tingling in her

extremities, short-term memory loss and other dementia-like symptoms.

But she said: " I don't even consider myself as a victim. I consider

myself a victor: a mould survivor. "

Ms Burgesson plans to hold a mould seminar in November or December, featuring

experts from the States, including a toxicologist.

Anyone interested in attending or sponsoring the event or in joining the support

group should email raquel@... or

toxicmoldsurvivor@... or call 234-0537.

http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?sectionId\

=60 & articleId=7d99b2f30030002

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It's a shame people DO NOT check out thoroughly these org. and the people

involved, before they become a victim a second time around. Many of us have

learned the hard way who is legit. This one defiantly is NOT(NIMS). Please take

my word for it, be careful and keep your distance from this one. Fraud comes to

mind and much more .I have dealt with this one first hand for several years.

Many on this board can back me up on that.

I hate to see anyone else get hurt.

KC

>

> Toxic mould survivor to start a support group on Island

>

> By Sam Strangeways

>

> September 22, 2009

>

>

> A

> woman who developed meningitis and brain lesions due to mould toxicity

> is setting up a support group in Bermuda for fellow sufferers.

>

> Raquel Burgesson told The Royal Gazette that far too little was known on the

Island about the health problems

> triggered by mould, despite high-profile cases such as the CedarBridge

> Academy crisis of 2006, when staff and students became sick in the

> infested school.

>

>

> " People

> have to be educated, from the Health Department, to the media, to

> lawmakers, to everybody, " said Ms Burgesson. " I'm offering help and

> support and comfort to other people who think they may have been

> exposed.

>

>

> " But

> of course, I can't do a support group if I don't have names. What I

> want people to know is that mould does make you sick.. I'm basically

> trying to bring about awareness. "

>

>

> The

> 36-year-old former administrative assistant started suffering from

> severe headaches, dizziness and exhaustion at the start of this decade

> and visited 13 doctors in Bermuda, but failed to get a diagnosis.

>

>

> Tests

> at s Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore showed three lesions on her

> brain †" but the cause was unknown and nothing was prescribed that

> counteracted the debilitating symptoms she was suffering.

>

>

> Ms

> Burgesson began to suspect that mould in her Sandys apartment was to

> blame but didn't get it tested for indoor air quality until she

> contracted meningitis in 2007 and moved out to her parents' home

> upstairs to recover.

>

>

> The

> tests revealed high levels of toxic mould and Ms Burgesson has since

> been diagnosed by doctors overseas with mycotoxicosis (fungal

> poisoning) and demyelination (loss of the substance that insulates

> nerve endings).

>

>

> Her

> parents remediated her apartment at a cost of tens of thousands of

> dollars and her symptoms have lessened, though she remains unable to

> work.

>

>

> Last

> year, she joined the National Indoor Mold Society, based in New Jersey,

> and is now its vice president. The organisation has persuaded five

> states in the US to adopt proclamations on mould toxicity and declare

> September as National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month.

>

>

> Ms

> Burgesson said she hoped Bermuda †" where mould infestation caused by

> humidity is a huge problem and has led to problems at public buildings

> including schools, King VII Memorial Hospital, the library and

> Supreme Court †" would follow suit.

>

>

> " I

> don't regret going through anything because I'm within God's will, " she

> said. " I know one of the reasons why this happened to me was to ensure

> that there has to be more awareness about mould.

>

>

> " People

> need to understand the difference between allergy and toxicity.

> Toxicity is when the mould has entered your body and lodged into your

> bloodstream. "

>

>

> <center><a

>

href= " /admanagement/servlet/advertBeans.GetLinkServlet?region=6 & zone=18 & type=nos\

si & target=browser "

> target= " _top " ><img

>

src= " /admanagement/servlet/advertBeans.GetAdServlet?region=6 & zone=18 & type=nossi "

> width= " 300 " height= " 250 " border=1 ALT= " Click to Visit " ></a><br><a

>

href= " /admanagement/servlet/advertBeans.GetLinkServlet?region=6 & zone=18 & type=nos\

si "

> target= " _top " ><font face= " verdana " size=2><strong>Click Here to Visit

> our Sponsor</strong></font></a></center>

>

> She

> still " suffers greatly " from health problems, including tingling in her

> extremities, short-term memory loss and other dementia-like symptoms.

> But she said: " I don't even consider myself as a victim. I consider

> myself a victor: a mould survivor. "

>

>

> Ms Burgesson plans to hold a mould seminar in November or December, featuring

experts from the States, including a toxicologist.

>

>

> Anyone interested in attending or sponsoring the event or in joining the

support group should email raquel@... or toxicmoldsurvivor@... or call 234-0537.

>

>

http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?sectionId\

=60 & articleId=7d99b2f30030002

>

>

>

>

>

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