Nova Scotia athlete suffers reaction to perfume at curling

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Nova Scotia athlete suffers reaction to perfume at curling

tournament

http://lfpress.ca/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=125461 & x=articles & s=curling

Scent allergy KOs curler

Steve Green

The London Free Press

March 2, 2006

Nova Scotia second -Anne Arsenault was taken to hospital

yesterday after

suffering an allergic reaction to perfume at the Tournament of

Hearts.

MARY-ANNE ARSENAULT: Allergic reaction to perfume put her

temporarily out of

action. CREDIT: MIKE HENSEN/The London Free Press

Fortunately, she returned to play in the night draw, feeling just a

little

tired.

Arsenault said she started having trouble breathing in the fifth-end

break

during an afternoon game against Janet Harvey of Manitoba at the

Labatt

Centre.

She was eventually taken to London Health Sciences Centre's

University Hospital.

" And I love perfume, " Arsenault said.

" I always buy some every time I go through the duty-free,''

Arsenault said. " But

it's just that one -- I think it's Poison -- that has one

ingredient, whatever

it is, that gets in my airways and makes them close over.

" I've always had a sensitivity to that one, but whoever it was had

so much on,

it was overpowering.''

Arsenault was at least able to keep a sense of humour about it.

" See what a girl's got to do to get an interview?''

Arsenault has won five Canadian women's curling championships along

with skip

Colleen .

Arsenault was replaced in the afternoon game by Sue Radford,

who became the

first alternate to see action here this week.

" It was a little nerve-wracking in that first end because I didn't

have a chance

to warm up or throw any rocks, but once that first end was over with

I felt

OK,'' Radford said.

As a result of the incident, players were asked not to wear perfume

for the rest

of the competition.

The issue of fragrance allergies in the workplace has become more

common and

employers are being asked to monitor employee concerns.

Arsenault has won five Canadian women's curling championships along

with skip

Colleen .

Arsenault was replaced by Sue Radford, who became the first

alternate to

see action here this week. She had to throw second stones in the

sixth end, but

then moved up to lead for the remainder of the game.

" It was a little nerve-wracking in that first end because I didn't

have a chance

to warm up or throw any rocks, but once that first end was over

with, I felt

OK,'' Radford said.

, who came back to win a bizarre game 7-6, said it was the

first time it

had happened to Arsenault.

" We started the (sixth) end without her and when she wasn't back to

throw her

stones I took a medical timeout. I went back to check on her and she

was on a

chair leaning over. Her legs were shaking and she was shaking and it

was obvious

she wasn't going to continue.

" Something like that rattles you for a little bit. I just had to

take a deep

breath and say, ' Sue, you're in.' And she did awesome.''

As a result of the incident, players were asked not to wear perfume

for the rest

of the competition.

The issue of fragrance allergies in the workplace has become more

common and

employers are being asked to monitor employee concerns.