Fw: 'Silicone' mother makes legal history ~ British news from 1997

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From: " ilena rose " <ilena@...>

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

>

>