Kurze Zusammenfassung:
Brief an die New York Times zum Tod von Cindy Duehring von Annie Berthold – Bond
1. Juli 1999
Cindy Duehring- eine moderne Heldin
Cindy Duehring starb im Alter von 36 Jahren. Sie bekam 1997 den Alternativen Nobelpreis für ihre Forschungsarbeit im Bereich Ursache und Wirkung von MCS und der gesundheitlichen Bedrohung durch giftige Chemikalien.
Cindy Duehring starb direkt oder indirekt an Pestizidvergiftung. 14 Jahre vorher wurde an ihrer Arbeitsstelle und in ihrem Haus gegen Ungeziefer mit Pestizideinsatz vorgegangen. Seitdem musste sie in einem ganz verschlossenem Haus abgeschnitten von der Außenwelt leben.
Cindy gründete in 1986 EARN und vereinigte diese Organisation in 1994 mit CIIN ( Informationsnetzwerk für chemisch Verletzte)
Einige Leute in ihrer Umgebung glaubten, dass ihre Probleme nicht real seien. Obwohl ihnen erklärt wurde, dass das Sprühen gegen den Löwenzahn sie töten könnte und man sie bat zumindest auf die Windrichtung zu achten, wurde von einigen keine Rücksicht darauf genommen. Trotz der besten Filtereinrichtung verschlechterte sich jedes Frühjahr Cindys Gesundheitszustand wegen dieser Sprühungen und sie brauchte fast das ganze Jahr um sich wieder zu erholen. Ihre gute Freundin und Nachbarin ReNae Vorget hielt ihre Augen und Ohren offen um sie vor den Frühfahrzeugen zu warnen. In diesem Jahr sprühten sie allerdings schon um 5.00 morgens, während ReNae noch schlief.
Der Horror von Cindy Duehrings Tod wird ein „Horror“ bleiben, wenn wir nicht etwas daraus lernen. Die Lehre daraus könnte sein, dass synthetische Chemikalien uns Menschen sehr krank machen kann und dass wir als Gesellschaft unser Augenmerk auf einen vernünftigen Gebrauch richten. Die Lehre könnte sein, dass Menschen, die durch Chemikalien verletzt wurden, sehr stark leiden müssen und uns so viel zu sagen haben, wie die Kanarienvögel in den Kohlenminen. Für Cindy ist es zu spät, und ich hoffe nur, dass die Erfüllung, die sie in ihrer Arbeit gefunden hatte, sie getröstet hatte.
July 1, 1999
To: The New York Times Op Ed Department
From: Annie Berthold-Bond
Date: 6/30/99
# Pages: 2
Note: Cindy Duehring died on June 28th, 1999
Cindy Duehring - Modern Day Heroine
Cindy Duehring is dead at 36. She was the 1997 winner of the The Right
Livelihood Award (commonly known as the Alternative Nobel Peace Prize), for
research into the sources and effects of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and
the health threats of toxic chemicals.
Cindy died "directly or indirectly" of pesticide poisoning. Fourteen years ago
her workplace and home were exterminated for fleas, with a pesticide that
damaged her immune system. Since then she had to live in a sealed home, and
hadn't been able to see a tree, breath unfiltered air, or step foot outside.
Two years ago she "lost" the telephone - talking on it induced seizures -
and was in effect completely isolated and cut off from the world although
she was
somehow able to continue her work. Her husband could only visit her on the
weekends, after all the everyday chemicals like perfume that clung to him
from work were carefully washed away.
I just looked up "fortitude" in my Roget's Thesaurus and found the words
bravery, courage, heroism, spirit, strength, valor, backbone, tenacity - they
all apply. Every minute of every day was one of survival for Cindy, and yet
she generously worked tirelessly and selflessly, turning her enormous
personal suffering into benefit for others. Cindy founded the Environmental
Access Research Network (EARN) in 1986 that merged with the Chemical Injury
Information Network (CIIN) in 1994. Her research was always straight and
true, and of great benefit for all of us who suffer health problems from
exposure to toxic chemicals, and also for protecting innocent people from
being exposed.
There is also another story here, another dimension to Cindy's suffering. A
few people in Cindy's neighborhood didn't believe Cindy's problems were
real. Being told that spraying for dandelions could kill Cindy, and asked at
the very least to watch the wind direction when spraying, some went ahead
anyway ("I have my rights!"). Despite every air filtering device imaginable,
every spring Cindy's health declined precipitously because of this spraying,
and it would take most of the year for her to recover. Fear of the deadly
repercussions of more chemical use muted Cindy and her family completely.
Those of us who loved Cindy were muted as well. Her devoted friend and
neighbor ReNae Vorgert would keep her ears and eyes peeled for the spraying
trucks, and rush to warn Cindy to turn off her air. This year the trucks
beat the system by spraying at 5:00 AM when ReNae was asleep.
I thought it was ironic, reading Cindy's obituary this morning on the AP
wire, that there was a need to include this sentence: "Tests by a specialist
in environmental medicine found that pesticides had damaged her immune
system." Years ago the AMA claimed all of us with this chemical poisoning
syndrome called MCS were emotionally disturbed.
The horror of Cindy's death will just remain that "a horror" unless something
illuminating comes out of it for the rest of us. What? Awareness that modern
day synthetic chemicals can make people very sick and that as a society we
need to take a good long look at the imperative for prudent use. Awareness
that people who are damaged by chemicals suffer terribly, and in fact have as
much to teach as canaries in the coal mine. For Cindy it is too late, so I
can only hope that the grace she must have found in her work gave her some
comfort.
Annie Berthold-Bond is a MCS sufferer and the author of a number of books,
the most recent of which is "Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for
Less Toxic Living."
http://www.betterbasics.com