ASEQ-EHAQ

Dear members and friends,

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

We know how debilitating this health condition, environmental sensitivities, can be. How it literally affects you suddenly and takes your life apart at the seams. From one day to the next, things can take a turn into a downward spiral. Everything you know, are familiar with, and love, is threatened and often lost – as you struggle to cope, sometimes from hour to hour.

You watch hopelessly as the life you once knew fades into the distance.

Sometimes support and help from family and friends makes this tolerable to an extent. Your personal freedom has been curtailed. For those who are on their own with no support, it often is a constant, dreadful experience.

We admire your resilience, strength, ingenuity and courage. How you never give up and how you think of ways to cope in the face of insurmountable challenges. Often, on your own.

But where are your stories. Who carries them? Now and then we see press reports as though these are isolated cases. We know over one million people have been diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and as yet, there is no Canadian data for the other sensitivities.

We want to provide a place for you to tell your story. It can be as short or as long as you wish. You can use your name, or a nickname. We will edit your story and return it to you for approval, after which it will be translated and loaded on the website. It may be even sent out via social media for education and awareness in the general public.

You may be wondering where to start your stories. Here are a few suggestions:

Try to keep your stories up to 1000 words, or four pages. Font: Times New Roman 12, double spaced. However, we will accept any length provided by you.

• What your life was like pre-environmental sensitivities?
• How did this health condition start?
• How long ago?
• What are the resulting changes in your life? How did that make you feel?
• What makes you ill?
• Describe your symptoms.
• Do you have ease of access to essential services and to the community?
• If you live alone, do you have support?
• Do you have adequate medical care?
• What would you like to see happen in the future so you can get your freedom back?

Click here to write to us about your interest in doing this, and if you need help. If you cannot be on the computer for long, we could take down your story via the telephone and send a copy to you for your approval.

I look forward to hearing from you.

With every good wish to you,

Rohini Peris, President, ASEQ-EHAQ

Michel Gaudet, Executive Director, ASEQ-EHAQ