October, 1996

Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:

I want to clear up a little misconception. I did not have any heart attacks. I mentioned heat attacks (100 degree weather) and several of you read it as heart attacks. I am doing OK, some problems, as always, especially with the lupus, but hanging in as ever. I am too busy for my own good, but......

As you are reading this, I am in the NW again. I went for the Tacoma conference and again stayed with my mother near Portland, OR for several days. My stepfather has had recent surgery (coronary bypass) and I felt they needed my help and support.

Report on St. Louis Conference: Good information, great professionals, wonderful women and a great time to network and make new friends. There is new info., so come to a conference in your area.

The Aug. 20, 1996 woman, Patricia E. Smith, 40, of Lee's Summit, MO, who requested suicide assistance from Dr. Jack Kevorkian, was an 11-year breast implant survivor and, based on a 1993 conversation with a support group leader, at that time totally rejected even the possibility that breast implants could cause medical problems. We understand that her implants were shortly after this time. She had severe MS. She worked as a nurse for a Kansas City area plastic surgeon (Chandler) and worked for Dow Corning prior to being disabled. She was the Program Planning Chair Person of a seminar, Current Breast Implant Issues Concerning Women's Health, presented in 1993 in the KC area and co-sponsored by Dow Corning and the American Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons Nurses (ASPRSN). She was too sick to attend the conference.

If she had known about implants earlier and had them removed years earlier, could her life have been spared? Would her health have greatly improved, as many other women's have, to the point where she did not feel it was necessary to commit suicide? If the plastic surgeons she worked with had recognized her problems and warned her, what would her future have been like? Is it her denial, society's need to have women built like Barbie dolls and Playboy Bunnies, or the manufacturer's and doctor's focus on making $, their denial about safety issues, or? Who, truly, is responsible for her death?

UPCOMING EVENTS: Denver Mini-Conference, Saturday, October 5th, Regency Hotel, Palladium Room, 3900 Elati Street (off 38th Ave. West of 1-25, close to I-70 and I-25 conjunction). This may be our only speaker meeting in 1996. Cost: $10.00 to pay expenses. Speakers include: Rick Laminack of O'Quinn, Kerensky, McAninch & Laminack (legal issues, including opting-out and class action suits). Dr. Britta Ostermeyer, Dr. Saul Puszkin, and Dr. Daniel Hoffman (medical issues: Possible treatment options, neurology, pathology, and neuropsychiatry.

Florida in October: Dr. Andrew Campbell will speak at three separate meetings: Tampa, Sat. Oct. 5, 3:00 P.M. The Camberly Place in Sabal Park, contact Diana Carmen (813) 238-2682, Jacksonville, Friday, Oct 4, 12:30 P.M. at Regency Sq. Library Auditorium,, contact Mary Lee Taylor (904) 725-5639, and in Ft. Lauderdale, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2:00 P.M. at Imperial Point Hospital, contact Phyllis Brown (954) 420-0098.

Oklahoma City Conference, Sat., Oct. 19th. $35.00 Speakers: Mike Hugo, Rick Laminack, Larry Talwater, Piper Mills, Brad West (atty. panel); Liz Dudley, R.N. who will discuss recent research on atypical chest pain; Tom Talcott, Ph.D.; Dr. Andrew Campbell, Dr. Saul Puszkin, Dr. Britta Ostermeyer & Dr. LuGene Feng, For info. and to register, call Kathy Keithly-Johnson: (573) 445-0861.

Dallas Conference, Sunday, November 3rd, Harvey Hotel, Dallas Brookhollow, 7050 Stemmons Fwy. @ Mockingbird. Speakers: Dr. Andrew Campbell (Immunotoxicologist), Dr. Edward Melmed (Plastic Surgeon), Judge Ann Cochran (MDL), Judge Susan Sasson, Sybil Goldrich (Command Trust Network), Rick Laminack (O'Quinn, Kerensky, McAninch, & Laminack). Other speakers include: Gloria Bywalec & Anne Marie Rzeppa (Betrayed), Ilena Rosenthal (author) and Pamela Stott-Kendall (Torn Illusions). Pre-registration: $45, $60 couples ($10 extra at door), incl. continental breakfast and lunch. Registration: Joan (214) 522-7636, Martha (214) 222-2017, Pat (214) 222-8718. Hotel: $54, deluxe double or single. (800) 630-8500. Tell them you are attending the National Silicone Implant Foundation Conference.

Boise Conference, Saturday, November 9th, Red Lion Inn, Boise, Idaho. Confirmed speakers include: Dr. Britta Ostermeyer (Neurologist), Dr. Saul Puszkin (Pathologist), Dr. Andrew Campbell (Immunology-Toxicology), Dr. Linda Huang, Pl. Surgeon), Dr. Aristo Vojdani (Ph.D. Immunology), Dr. Dennis Wyman (Chronic Pain), Robert Barefoot, Ph.D. (Author, The Calcium Factor: The Scientific Secret of Health and Youth), others pending.

Conference: Toronto, Canada, Oct. 23-25, Sutton Hotel. Sponsor: Breast Implant Line of Canada. Conference includes 1 full day & 2 half days (Friday P.M. Open House, Saturday conference, and Sunday A.M. conference). Speakers: Michael Eizenga, (atty.) & 9 doctors: Blais, Edworthy, Vojdani, Feng, Guidoin, Holowaty, Klein, Ostermeyer, & Puszkin. Cost: $125 Canadian (approx. $95 U.S., check exchange rates), hotel $135 Canadian (about $100 U.S.). Credit card companies automatically adjust exchange rate if you charge your room. Contact Joyce Attis (416) 636-6618 for more information.

We often receive information on seminars & meetings too late. If you would like to have your group meetings or seminars included in the newsletter, please get them to us by the 20th of the month prior to publication.

LEGAL INFORMATION: Elegibility for Mentor Settlement: Persons with following implants: Mentor, Becker, Directa Span, Flat Span, Isle, Heyer-Schulte (implanted after 3/30/94), Heyer-Schulte Mentor, Radovan, Siltex, Siltex Becker, Spectrum and Teckmar.

Elegibility for Bioplasty Settlement: Persons with following implants: Biomanufacturing, Bio-oncotic, Bioplasty, Klein, Roger Klein, Mammatech, Misty, Misty Gold, & Uroplasty.

You must identify by approximate date and site the implantation of at least one qualifying implant. Don't submit medical documentation of any implantation unless requested by the Claims Office. Foreign claimants must have registered with the Claims Office on or before March 1, 1995 (both Mentor and Bioplasty) or, for Bioplasty, have filed a Proof of Claim with the Bankruptcy Court in Minnesota.

Implantation must have been prior to 6/1/93 (at least one identified implant). If a claimant had both Mentor & Bioplasty implants (and no others), they are entitled to a 50% share from each settlement. If a claimant had other implants besides Mentor or Bioplasty, they are entitled to a 25% share in either settlement and may still participate in the Dow Bankruptcy.

The rationale given by the court to divide the pot equally instead of pro-rating it according to disease: The pot of money is so small that it would take additional time & effort, thereby costing more to pro-rate it. I disagree, since women who were diagnosed and already on the grid have already submitted their claims & can be easily identified, but I am not sure that my thoughts or beliefs would have any impact on Judge Pointer's decision. I do hope that there are attorneys who bring up this situation and try to make the settlement more equitable for all who suffered tremendously from these two company's products.

Cox-Uphoff: Still waiting for information. Be sure to file a claim in the Dow Bankruptcy.

MEDICAL INFORMATION: Smoke exposure, (cigarettes and tobacco products), both in the womb and after birth, is a significant risk factor for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Infants born to mother's who smoke during pregnancy and to homes where there is smoke exposure have a 60% greater risk of a SIDS death.

Nicotine patches, used to help smoker's quit, are under experimentation to see if they can alleviate Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.). Dangerous ingredients in cigarettes (tars, etc.) are not found in the patches.

Daily alcoholic drinks increase breast cancer risks by 50%. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) also increases the risk if taken for up to 10 years. These findings were released by the European Institute of Oncology in Milan.

A barnyard bacterium, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, which causes chronic digestive disease in cattle (Johne's disease, found in ruminant animals such as sheep, cattle, goats) has been found in humans with Crohn's Disease. It has only been found in a minority of persons, but 50% remission has occurred in Crohn's patients by utilizing mycobacterial drugs. This animal-human connection was described in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology (Sept. '96). Current veterinary research indicates that both diseases are related. An investigation is being done to determine how this bacterium is spread and if it is being transmitted through the food chain by eating meat.

Montreal: Researchers have presented evidence that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, which causes ulcers. can be transmitted from cats. The number of years patients were associated with cats is significantly associated with infection risk. H. pylori has been found in the biological fluids of cats. In questionnaires of H. pylori positive adults, 61% of subjects owned or had owned cats. Those who had owned cats for more than 20 years or had been in contact with a cat before age 20 were significantly more likely to be H. pylori positive. H. pylori infection is thought to occur during infancy.

Melbourne, Australia: A research team is designing a new drug that could reduce the number of people who die from diabetes. Amylin, a hormone secreted from the pancreas, is linked to hypertension (high blood pressure). Older diabetics often have high amylin levels. This explains why many have kidney failure and hypertension. New drugs to control amylin levels in the blood would reduce the risk of death in patients.

San Francisco: A cluster of cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was documented in healthy firefighters (young Caucasian males, a population not ordinarily associated with RA) who were vaccinated against hepatitis B in late summer or early fall of 1995. These men were all vaccinated from the same lot of vaccine, so a possible contamination of the vaccine (Energix B) is being investigated. Symptoms developed 14 to 21 days after inoculation. Isolated reports elsewhere of this connection have been made, so attempts to determine vaccine lots are being made.

United Kingdom: A report has linked rising breast and testicular cancer rates and male reproductive problems to chemicals in food & the environment. Studies in the U.S. have tried to repudiate this research, but other European research supports these conclusions. In male reproductive problems, the guilty chemicals mimic estrogen or block androgen. In wildlife, chemicals are known to cause reproductive problems. Damage may be done in utero with the developing fetus and continue into childhood. Semen in men born in the 1950's demonstrated better quality than that of men born in the 1970's (reduction of about 22%). There is a rise in testicular cancer rates, in the number of undescended testicles, and in the number of men born with genital abnormalities. Add this to the sharp rise in breast cancers and you can see why researchers are alarmed.

Being researched in Baltimore, a new procedure to regenerate bone & ligaments. Recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) may allow doctors to regenerate connective tissue as well as bones. When tested on baboons with periodontal (tooth) disease, the bone as well as cementum and periodontal ligaments were repaired. BMPs are a family of proteins that induce new bone formation. Recent work has shown that, mixed with collagen, the purified proteins will cause new bone formation at the site of implantation without creating tumors or bone formation in other parts of the body. BMPs could find their way into other areas such as skull and facial repairs (no more silicone facial implants?), osteoporosis, some arthritis, reconstructive surgeries, and sports injuries. Applications to connective tissue repair is being researched.

New Orleans: Women taking tamoxifen may be risking uterine cancer. Although the risk is low, it is increased over patients not taking this hormone. It is given to some women with node positive estrogen-receptor breast cancers. (I refused to take this hormone after checking out research on effectiveness.) Overall effectiveness rate in reducing breast cancers by taking tamoxifen was around 9% in one study. Side effects and complications are common, including weight gain, facial hair, nausea and abnormal vaginal bleeding.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), in 1995, advised doctors to stop prescribing tamoxifen as a breast cancer preventive agent because they found no apparent benefit and there was increased risk of developing endometrial cancer. The FDA has criticized the recommendation because there is some small evidence of lessened risk of recurrent malignant breast tumors. Research is not conclusive on how long or in which population tamoxifen is helpful.

If you have a copy of the recent journal article (Annals of Plastic Surgery, June, 1995, by Dobke, etal.), would you please send me a clear, unmarked copy? I would greatly appreciate it!! I also need a copy of the Tueber, etal, journal article on Remission of Sarcoidosis from the International Archives of Allergy & Immunology! Thank you in advance! The way I keep women informed is by you, the readers, keeping me informed.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: Folic acid, taken for two months just prior and for the first two months of pregnancy, prevents cleft lip and cleft palate. Smoking during pregnancy increases the incidence of cleft palate.

Use royal bee jelly with extreme caution if you have allergies or asthma. Death has resulted in sensitive individuals. It should be avoided if allergic to bee or fire ant venom.

A phytochemical, phenetlyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), that is found in watercress and other similar vegetables may well protect individuals from cancer-causing agents.

To reduce sugar cravings & help with weight loss, chew glucose tablets (unless diabetic). From a member: Raw (unpasteurized) butter (preferably organic) from the health food store helps when applied to rashes and scars. Her holistic M.D. gave her this tip.

Soy protein (tofu, etc.) can lower blood cholesterol levels. A diet high in soy protein can protect against heart disease by reducing levels of low-density lipoproteins. The higher the level of cholesterol, the more the benefit. Raw tofu can harbor harmful bacteria, so it must be fresh and properly stored.

As little as one can of soda pop a day can cause jolts of anxiety in children. Colas containing caffeine and phosphoric acid can also interfere with the absorption of calcium in the body. Calcium deficiency could lead to lowered intelligence, seizures and heart disease according to researchers at the Univ. of MN Div. of Child and Adol. Psychiatry. They emphasize that soft drinks should be limited to occasional treats (small amounts).

Mademoiselle Magazine: One study found that 57% of those with chronic headaches were suffering 'rebound' headaches brought on by overuse of painkillers. Headache specialists are increasingly prescribing relaxation exercises and other non-drug therapies. Headache pain can be due to a variety of causes including stress, hangovers, tooth-grinding and even sex. Sex headaches usually strike during intercourse or after orgasm and may be caused by the exertion of sex or by brain chemistry changes triggered by orgasm. If severe, an over the counter (OTC) painkiller taken one hour prior to intercourse may be effective in prevention.

Calcium from milk causes fewer kidney stones than some calcium supplements. A study was done of 101,087 women. During 12 ears of follow-up, 864 incidents of kidney stones were found. Women taking calcium supplements had a 23% increased risk of kidney stones compared with those not taking supplements (type of supplement not recorded). 67% reported not taking calcium supplement with meals. High dietary calcium intake was associated with a 28% decrease in kidney stone formation. The risk of kidney stones increases only 1.2% in women taking supplements. When the calcium is ingested may be the key. It is recommended that calcium supplements be taken with a meal because dietary ingredients such as glycolate, lactate and alanine inhibit calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis and resulting kidney stones. It is recommended that all women, especially over age 35, who do not eat high levels of dietary calcium take a calcium supplement to prevent osteoporosis. It is quite difficult for most people to obtain all the necessary calcium from their diets.

In Europe and other countries, glucosamine sulfate is the drug of choice for osteoarthritis, particularly degenerative osteo-arthritis and it has been shown to rebuild damaged cartilage as well. It has no known side effects or drug interactions and is widely available. If you have osteo-arthritis, it costs little to try this supplement.

One woman reported that skullcap (health food stores), helped her sleep disorder. She found relief from the pressure in her skull by using ear candles (health food stores). Be careful with these. She discovered that using a hula hoop just a few minutes a day really helped relieve her fibromyalgia symptoms.

Victim vs. Survivor, The Difference: Just what comprises the difference between these two groups of people. Every choice in life has consequences. Behaviors can be adaptive or maladaptive. You can choose to be happy or sad. You can strive for happiness or be mired in your own pity. You can choose to be focused on lawsuits or on your health. You can scream that there is no justice or you can find a way to work toward it. The anger can heal you or keep you stuck in your illness. You can choose to spew anger at the world or to focus it on positive energy to help others and to heal. Directing it at others via gossip, blame and manipulation is unhealthy and contributes to ill health. Depression is anger turned inside; it cannot be released until it is directed appropriately. You can choose to gossip and talk about others behind their backs or you can choose to be ethical in your dealings with others. You can choose to use people to achieve your goals, let people use you in order to reap whatever benefits come, or work toward equality in your relationships. You can choose to stay ill or you can choose to find ways to return to health. You can choose to smoke, drink alcohol, drink caffeine, eat and drink sugary products, eat too much fat, etc. or you can choose to clean up your diet by eating fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates and lean protein and work on detoxing and healing. You can say that you have no choice but to be ill or you can work to find methods that will help you recover your health. The essence of a person's character is seen in the way they relate to the world. Someone once said that it is all in the way we look at the world. You can look at it through the eyes of a survivor or through the eyes of a victim.

There are payoffs for each choice we make. Being a victim has as many payoffs as being a survivor. Payoffs for being a victim include: Being able to manipulate others to make them pay attention to our needs, being able to make people feel sorry for us thereby getting attention for being ill, not having to face the responsibilities of life (working, taking care of children, cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc.) as it is more socially acceptable to be too ill that it is to not meet these needs otherwise, having an excuse for not meeting the needs of our partners (companionship, sex, etc.) or children (quality time, homework, etc.), remaining depressed about our situation, feeling sorry for ourselves because of our plight, having low self-esteem and self-worth, believing we have no choice but to be ill, etc. Being a survivor also has payoffs: Enjoying life to the limit of our abilities, enjoying our children and grandchildren, working and earning a living (thereby feeling that we are acceptable in and contributing to society), doing chores and cooking to the limit of our abilities, holding our heads up and telling the world that we won't take this lying down (thereby expressing our anger in productive ways which releases anger and depression), fighting to regain our health and getting better, fighting for justice for ourselves and others (can't feel sorry for yourself when you are fighting this kind of battle), working to meet the needs of our partner and family because we expect the same from them, high self-esteem and self-worth, etc.

It is well known that a healthy mind precedes a healthy body. If you are stuck in anger, depression, low self-esteem and self-worth and in being ill, you will remain there until you die. If you decide that you do not wish to be stuck in that kind of place, you will change your attitude and will begin the fight to regain your health and your life. The choice is as it always has been, YOURS!!! Victim or survivor, what is your choice?

How does one make the change from victim to survivor? A first step is to focus on what is going on outside ourselves. If we remain inwardly focused too much we cannot see what the rest of the world is doing. By refocusing on helping others and in what is happening outside ourselves, we become less self-absorbed and are less likely to feel sorry for ourselves. This does not mean to ignore our feelings and issues but it does mean to shift our focus so that we are not our only major focus. By truly working to see and meet the needs of others we stand a better chance of having our own healthy needs met. Education can help; find books on how to be a survivor, how to build positive self-esteem, self-sabotage, etc. When you find that you are feeling sorry for yourself, try visualizing or finding someone who has worse problems than you to feel sorry for (they are always out there). Make a habit of looking for the positives in your life (you are, after all, still alive, and many with our illnesses have not fared this well). Finding meaning in our lives will help us focus on things other than our pain and illness. Negativity breeds negativity. If we choose to remain negative, that is what we will find in life. You find just what you are looking for, so if we look for the positive, we will find it. If you see life as a crisis, it is a crisis. Help is out there for those who would seek it. Instead of saying, but I can't do that because, try saying (and feeling) maybe I should look into that or try that! See the change of attitude that occurs.

Many people will respond to this by stating that they had no choice in their illness. That is true, we did not know that implants could harm us or we wouldn't have had them placed in our bodies. However, we now have the choice of working to heal or being stuck in our illness. Many women I have spoken with are stuck and often unwilling to even look at ways to help their bodies and minds heal. They run from doctor to doctor saying Fix Me and never look at their own responsibility in the situation. No-one can fix us; we must fix ourselves. To be a survivor means to take control of our destiny, learn as much about healing as we can and apply that healing to our lives and that of our families. Blind acceptance of medical cures without looking at alternatives (especially if the medical cures aren't working or will be detrimental to our health in the long run) is a cop-out. The responsibility is ours and we must accept this in order to find ways to heal. With healing of the mind will come healing of the body. With healing of both will come healing of the spirit. That is what will ultimately help us all.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Q. I understand there is an alternative settlement proposal for women who decide not to accept the current onel. Is that true? A. Yes, one was entered and accepted (reluctantly) by Judge Pointer. It was drafted by women in Idaho. You cannot be involved in this if you have an attorney, if you are in the settlements (and only Cox-Uphoff is not), or if you are a Dow recipient & are in the Bankruptcy or if you had Mentor or Bioplasty. I would advise any woman who is interested in any proposal to talk it over very carefully with an attorney, because if you opt out and try this proposal, don't file a suit within 6 months, and then are not able to have a negotiated settlement, you will have then lost your rights to ever sue the manufacturer. You can be victimized by not understanding how these situations work. Please be thoroughly apprised of any situation prior to changing your options.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE: We now have Pam Kendall's book Torn Illusions, available for $17.95 + $2 S&H (Total $19.95). Send to address at the top of the newsletter. Other available books: The Silicone Breast Implant Controversy by Dr. Vasey, $10+$2 S&H, Silicone-Gate by Dr. Henry Jenny, $20, the book to help you obtain Social Security Disability, $12, The International Journal of Occupational Medicine & Toxicology (Special issue on silicone disease), $35 + $3 S&H.

IMPORTANT: Soy bean oil (trilucent) implants are being regularly placed in women in Europe, Australia and other countries. Four U.S. and three Canadian hospitals are placing these in women in experiments (lab rats) to determine their safety. These implants have silicone shells and are filled with soy oil. The theory around soy oil implants is that they will be less likely to cause capsular contracture. Also, since soy oil is a naturally occurring substance, it can be biodegraded and digested by the body so if there is a rupture or leak of any kind, the body has a process for eliminating it. The soy bean oil is purified before being injected into the silicone shell implant. Researchers, manufacturers and promoters of these implants state that the soy oil is very similar in composition to natural body fat and should give the implant a more natural feel. The walls of the implant are textured which is believed to alter the response of the body to create less scar tissue. Scar tissue is what causes painful and disfiguring contractures. Although these are pre-filled, volume can be adjusted by a small valve on top. X-rays pass through the implant to reveal more tissue which was often blocked by silicone implants. A computer micro-chip, utilized for identification purposes, is in each implant.

During the 2 year duration of the study, researchers will follow blood lipid levels and any anatomical and psychological changes. Investigators say it will be years down the road before they have enough evidence to say that soy bean oil is a safe and effective alternative to silicone breast implants. The trilucent implants are manufactured by a Swiss company, Lipomatrix, which is funding studies in the U.S. and Canada.

I have attempted to impart this information without too many comments. The detractors of soy bean oil (trilucent implants) state that organic oil such as soy bean will be highly prone to the growth of micro-organisms such as fungus and bacteria. Oil which is exposed to heat (and the body is 98.6 degrees) tends to deteriorate and become rancid. A gross rupture would subject the woman to massive oil exposure all at once. The envelope is still silicone and this has created problems with many other types of implants, including Norplant, chin and cheek implants, bone joint replacements and any and all other silicone devices placed in our bodies. Textured surfaces are more prone to bacterial and fungal problems so texturing an implant may not be helpful. Researchers have discovered high correlations between bacterial/fungal contamination and capsular contracture.

I would simply state the obvious. There is no proof that these or any other implants are safe. Two years for research is inexcusable; at least ten years should be done on any product designated for long-term human body placement. It is obvious that money is the driving force and that concern for safety is not a big issue. Ten and twenty years from now many more women will be ill and we will have learned little from the history of women who have become ill from silicone and saline implants. It is a sad commentary but it seems to be the obvious conclusion. I hope we can continue to educate women (and doctors, but I am not too optimistic about that) so that this does not occur.

Anna Nicole Smith has admitted that she has had 6 breast implant surgeries. They still are not working properly. Is anyone surprised??

The Obijway (Native Americans of Northern Ontario) discovered an herbal mixture called Essiac. The Food & Drugs Act of Canada professional's position on Essiac is that it is harmless but ineffective for cancer (anyone marketing Essiac for cancer treatment is subject to fines and/or imprisonment). The main components are burdock root, sheep sorrel herb, turkey rhubarb root and slippery elm bark, all of which must be harvested and handled in specific ways. There are many herbs claiming to be Essiac; most are not the real thing. Not even the most dedicated herbalist ever claimed 100% effectiveness for this herbal mixture, but many claims about survival rates for terminally ill cancer patients have been made. It has also been used for curing other chronic and degenerative conditions. For information on Essiac, check the Canadian Journal of Herbalism (July, 1991) article entitled Old Ontario Remedies which concludes that Essiac is neither hoax nor fraud. For a 6-page article on this subject entitled Cancer Hope Reborn, send $1 and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).

BOOKS: Calling of an Angel by Gary Glum, the story of a woman who claims to have been cured of cancer by Essiac.

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE: Essential minerals, a colloidal mineral product that provides minerals in the form necessary for the body, are available by contacting Lynda at (303) 469-8242. These minerals are wonderful for helping to rebuild the immune system.

NIKKEN PRODUCTS: What you don't know could be helping you!! If you don't know about magnetics and what they can do, contact me and I will send you information.

THIS MONTH'S POEMS:

Vanity Is Woman's Name

(So They Claim)

Copyright , 1996, Cena Golder Richeson

Struggling from birth to death
an exotic flower
wildly waves its petals
Desperately seeking notice
in a crowded meadow
of multi-hued carbon copies.

Endeavoring to excel
she must emulate the voice of an angel
for the rest of the choir
to hush-h-h-h
and listen, enthralled
by the mellifluous tones

To capture the charm of Venus
and the appeal of Aphrodite
she'll yield
to a plastic surgeon's scalpel
if Nature has left her wanting
Ah, but to peer into the mirror
and see the beauty there
as is---sans alteration
minus wistful thinking---
That is the rarest form of confidence!

Is it any wonder that Vanity is Woman's name---
so they claim?

If You Were

Author Unknown

If you were busy being kind
Before you knew it, you would find
You'd soon forget to think 'twas true
That someone was unkind to you.

If you were busy being glad
And cheering people who are sad
Although you heart might ache a bit
You'd soon forget to notice it.

If you were busy being good
And doing just the best you could
You'd not have time to blame some man
Who's doing just the best he can.

If you were busy being right
You'd find yourself too busy quite
To criticize your neighbor long
Because he's busy being wrong.

If you were!!!
From the USSM August newsletter.

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER INFORMATION: Previous of newsletters issues available: $2.00 each U.S., $3.00 Foreign. 1/93 is first available issue. Please indicate months' desired and enclose proper sums. Some covered subjects: Auto-immune (1/93); Fibromyalgia (2/93); Medical Testing (3/93); Sjogren's (4/93); Vasculitis (4/93); Arthritis (5/93); Chronic Fatigue (6/93); Lupus (7/93); Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Inflammatory Bowel Disease (8/93); Misc. Med. Info (9/93); Insurance Info. (8/93,9/93); Multiple Sclerosis (10/93); Spasmodic Torticollis (10/93); Hypoglycemia (11/93); Antibodies (12/93); Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (1/94); Misc. Med. Information II (2/94); Scleroderma (3/94); Costochondritis (4/94); Peripheral Neuropathy (4/94); Class Action (5/94); Fungal Infections (6/94); Hypercalcemia (low calcium) (7/94); Raynaud's Phenomenon (8/94); Fibromyalgia Update (9/94); Sarcoidosis (10/94); Free Radicals (11/94); Toxic Porphyria (12/94); Interstitial Cystitis (1/95); Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (2/95); Flap Procedures (3/95); Misc. Med. Info. III (4/95); Thyroid Disease (5/95); Stress (6/95); Natural Healing (7/95); Adrenal Malfunctions (8/95); Multiple Myeloma (9/95); DHEA (10/95); Chelation Therapy (11/95); Sleep Disorders (12/95); Meniere's Disease (1/96); 33 Tips To Improve Your Health (2/96); Amino Acids (3/96); Enzymes (4/96); Minerals (5/96); Aluminum Toxicity & DHEA Update (6/96); Addictions & Food Sensitivities (7/96); Misc. Med. Info. IV (8/96); Misc. Med. Info. V (9/96); Legal information and information on Alternative Medicine is contained in most issues.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed here are those of the editor and any contributors and are not to be construed as medical or legal advice. Any articles or information submitted may be edited because of space, content or grammatical errors.

COPYRIGHT: Our purpose is to disseminate information and provide support. This material is copyrighted so that wemay retain control over content. You may reproduce this document as long as it is not done for profit and as long as no material, including copyright and subscription information, is changed.

DONATIONS: The Coalition of Silicone Survivors is a not-for-profit,tax-exempt corporation with over 4000 members world wide. Our editor, Lynda Roth, is a survivor having heard the dread word 'cancer' followed by the reassuring 'will look like a normal breast'. In addition to having helped start many support groups, Lynda has appeared before the FDA, congress members, national TV in the US and other countries and lectures internationally. Your donation will definitely help others receive information about the dangers of implants.

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Anytown
Co 80300 ...............................we do NOT share this information

If you do not wish to send your credit card information over the net please call (303) 499-2765 and leave a voice message with the above information. Please be sure to leave your phone number so we can call back if your message is unclear. Your donation will appear on your statement as a charge by COSS Newsletters.

Checks: Don't leave this to memory.

Please write the check and address the envelope NOW.

Silicone Survivors
c/o COSS Newsletters
1705 14th St #191
Boulder, Co 80302-6265
USA

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