My name is Molly.

I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. I would like to be the MCS Beacon of Hope poster child. I believe that my story would help many other people understand MCS. I like helping people to understand my illness. I know that I am not only helping myself, but also everyone else with MCS. My story is a “beacon of hope”.

When I was 7 years old I had some sensitivities to fragrances and other chemicals. I had Behavior problems like ADHD. I easily got headaches, sinus infections and colds from exposures to certain chemicals and fragrances.

My world changed in November 2000 the day of our fall concert. My school painted our gym. I had play practice there, dress rehearsal and our fall concert all in the same day. The paint made me so sick! The next morning I had 105 F fever and then pneumonia.

I was admitted to the hospital after a week. Everything at the hospital went fine at first. They put “fragrance-free” signs on my door, but my night nurse wore fragrance anyway. She said that she works with cancer/chemo patients all the time and they never get sick. That exposure made me sicker. I needed oxygen. Mom was very worried.

The doctor ordered a nurse called a phleblotomist to draw my blood. I could not believe it, but the phlebotomist wore fragrances! It was too late.

I was moved to ICU, then later transferred to the medical center. By the time Mom got to the Medical Center, I was unconscious. Helium had to be added to the oxygen; the oxygen was too thick to get down to my lungs. Mom asked the doctors if I would be OK. They told her that now would be a good time to call a priest.

Mom cried.

The principal at my school asked the whole school to pray for me. It is Catholic. Within 15 minutes, I woke up and breathed better! My oxygen level rose and stabilized after the mask was removed. I was sensitive to the oxygen mask and tubing.

Now I am 9 years old. I have a lot of limits on my life so I won’t get that sick again.  Today I react when exposed to pesticides, fragrances, cleaning products, ink, smoke, some medications, molds, and other things that I have not yet figured out. I get flu-like symptoms, asthma, sinus infections, respiratory infections, migraines, ADHD symptoms, autistic symptoms, rashes, and leg aches so bad I cannot walk.

I work on educating people in my town about MCS. The more I tell people, the more possibilities I can do. I am also learning ways to improve my health.

It is really hard to be 9 and have MCS. I want to be like all the other kids, eat what I want, wear what I want, go where I want. Most of all, I want to be able to spend the night over at my friend's house. Most of my friends’ houses have things in them that I cannot tolerate--a fireplace, furry animals, remodeled rooms, air fresheners or other types of fragrances, and the list goes on. It is really tough being a kid with MCS.

Today my accommodation needs vary. On good days, people cannot tell that I am sick. I can go to a lot of places and have short small exposures. When I ask for an accommodation, people think I am just wanting attention or special privileges. On bad days, I stay at home. No one sees me or the pain I have. Then I have mid-range days. On these days, I can go to certain places that I know do not make me sick.

Having people not believe how sick I get is the most difficult part of this illness. That is why my goal is to educate my community on MCS. That way when I go some place and need an accommodation I will not get the “You must be from Mars” look.