Can anyone imagine South Australian Senator Penny Wong doing this for us? I can, so I thought I’d ask. Here is her contact page if you would like to join me in asking her to do this for us next year for International Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness day.
Today, Senator Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) presented sponsor testimony before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Senate Bill 51, legislation to designate the month of May as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Month in Ohio.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a devastating and isolating illness that has many different triggers and can start at any age. It may develop after a single particular exposure to a toxic substance such as pesticides or industrial solvents (sometimes from a newly decorated home or office). Others develop sensitivities after a period of ill health or viral infection, with symptoms getting worse over several years.
“Designating May as the Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month gives a voice to those suffering from this illness and a platform from which we can make the public aware of this debilitating condition,” stated Skindell.
In 2003, research indicated over 12% of the US population was affected with severe MCS – over 36.5 million people – and statistics have continued to rise[1]. Exact numbers of sufferers in the US are still not known but include thousands of soldiers affected by Gulf War Syndrome. Despite this, the medical profession still varies widely in its support and there are currently no clinical guidelines for the treatment of patients.
[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168894/
It gives me hope every time a non-sufferer recognizes chemical sensitivities.
Same here.