* Dr. Brundtlands story (17/9/02)
Tramès per Klaus Rudolph (Citizens' Initiative Omega)
by
Penny Hargreaves pahargreaves@ihug.co.nz
Good morning Klaus, thank you for the information. I am
sending you a copy of an article re Dr Brundtlands microwave
sensitivity which you may know of and a letter I sent to her. I think
the most important thing we should be demanding as exposed populations
who are told microwave beams are safe is that they are all mapped and
then we can see for ourselves if the places we are living are where MW
and FM frequencies are directed to. We can see where power lines are
and can choose whether to live there or not but most people are unaware
of the directions of continually transmitting FM and MW. My apologies
if you have this already.
Best wishes Penny Hargreaves
English translation from Cover story in Norwegian newspaper "Dagbladet"
of March 9, 2002:
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/Dial%20Protected
Copyright Dagbladet 9/3/2002
[Former Norwegian Prime Minister, WHO Director-General, Gro Harlem
Brundtland is getting headaches every time she's using a mobile phone.]
Mobile phone radiation gives Gro Harlem Brundtland headaches.
WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland (62), gets headaches from
talking on a mobile phone. That is not enough: People in her proximity
must turn their phones off in order to prevent discomfort.
By Aud Dalsegg
Saturday 9 March 2002
"It's not the sound, but the waves I react on. My hypersensitivity has
gone so far that I even react on mobiles closer to me than about four
metres," Gro explains. When we sit with her in her office at
"Helsetilsynet" in Oslo she asks if there is an active mobile phone in
the room. She finds that she has developed a slight headache. The
cellular phone of the photographer was turned on but without sound in
the pocket of his jacket.
The earlier Minister of State [Prime Minister] never had a mobile of
her own, but she has close associates who do and she earlier often
received calls on their phones. She says there are reasons to be
cautious about mobile phone use. "In the beginning I felt a local
warmth around my ear. But the agony got worse, and turned into a strong
discomfort and headaches every time I used a mobile phone," Gro says.
She thought she could escape the pain by shorter calls, but it didn't
help. Neither did it help that she herself stopped using a mobile
phone. Today it is a tool everybody uses, also at her workplace, the
World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva.
"I felt after a while that I had developed a sensitivity against the
radiation. And in order not to be thought to be hysterical - that
someone should believe that this was just something I imagined - I have
made several tests:
People have been in my office with their mobile hidden in their pocket
or bag. Without knowing if it was on or off, we have tested my
reactions. I have always reacted when the phone has been on - never
when it's off. So there is no doubt."
What about PCs? - "If I hold a laptop to read what's on the screen, it
feels like I get an electric shock through my arms."....
The headache she gets from mobile radiation abates about half an hour
to an hour after the radiation exposure stops.
Cannot stand wireless [phones].
Wireless phones, becoming more and more common in homes are said to
radiate stronger than mobile phones [due to the lack of low power modes
of DECT]. Gro cannot stand such [phones] either. "I get an instant
reaction if I touch such a phone".
Do you advise against using a mobile phone? - "We do not have
scientific evidence to go out with a clear warning. It is not
established that the radiation for instance can result in brain cancer.
WHO has a big study going on and in 2-3 years from now, we will have
better answers to all these questions. But I understand the scientists
who warn. I think we have reason to be cautious, and not use the
[mobile] phone more than necessary. And the younger you are, the more
reason to take this seriously. I think you should follow the
precautionary principle", Gro Harlem Brundtland says.
Previously scientists and physicians have ignored hypersensitivity to
electricity. The Norwegian Association for Electro-sensitive felt the
resistance to be so strong they closed down their work [they have since
started again].
"But I am convinced this has to be taken seriously. Some people develop
sensitivity to electricity and radiation from equipment such as mobile
phones or PCs. If this sensitivity can lead to adverse health-effects
as cancer or other diseases, we do not know yet. But I think we should
follow the precautionary principle, especially with regard to our
children."
EMFacts Consultancy
PO Box 96,
North Hobart, 7002
Tasmania, Australia
Phone: (03) 62430195
Fax: (03) 62430340
Email: emfacts@trump.net.au
Web: http://www.tassie.net.au/emfacts/
Letter to Dr Brundtland, Director General of The World Health
Organisation, from Penny Hargreaves, 1 Cranmer Court, 33 Kilmore St
Christchurch 1, New Zealand.
Tel 3770953, Email pahargeaves@ihug.co.nz,
25th March 2002
Dear Dr Brundtland,
I enclose a copy of an email sent to me last week which describes the
symptoms you experience when near a cell phone. I too suffer from a
similar effect when in the vicinity of cell phones although mine is not
a headache but severe ear ache. I have never used a cell phone and I
believe my sensitivity has come from long term exposure to FM/AM
transmissions from a radio tower situated 800 metres from my home and
adjacent to my farm. In 1996 I had to move myself, my family and my
animals from my farm as the adverse effects suffered from were so
bad it was impossible for us to live there.
As my health improved I found that I was experiencing severe ear pain,
chest pain, burning skin, feeling as if I had a temperature, and nausea
when I drove through some neighbourhoods. I have since found that
those areas are where the FM licences state the main FM power is
directed to in Christchurch. Research calls my allergic reaction RF
hearing and it is explained in a document we have compiled called
"Hidden Dangers of Electromagnetic Radiation from Communication Towers,
Power lines and Cell phones"(HDER) and our web site is http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/grn/Dial%20Protected.
RF hearing comes under pages 37 and 88. My body reacts adversely to FM
and microwave beams and I can tell you where they are 20 plus
kilometres from the source and in many cases they do not lose their
strength. I can tell you where a power line is by the buzzing noise but
I do not feel ill under those lines. I believe the reason why is
because that frequency has not been responsible for my illness. However
I do now react to computers, TV, burglar alarms, lights in some
shopping centres etc. I understand the condition I suffer from is
called electromagnetic sensitivity and it makes life very
difficult. Most people cannot understand how ill the reaction from EMR
exposure can make sufferers from this illness feel.
Prior to my RF exposure I did not have a problem in the vicinity of
anything electronic. I did not feel ill immediately after exposure at
my farm but over a period of time my health deteriorated dramatically
as did my animals. Later, I discovered neighbours had similar problems.
When we left the area health improved, when we returned health
deteriorated again.
Utilities may cause different effects in different areas. Our document
cites case stories in the neighbourhood of power lines near Fishpond in
Dorset where similar illnesses were experienced to those we had at
Ouruhia and Philpotts Rd. The geology of the land sounded similar with
underground streams and close to the sea with high salt content.
Operators, and the standards, do not seem to make allowances for
higher conductivity when siting towers or power lines near people.
You say 'you have reservations regarding the possible association
of exposure to cancer'. I enclose a page regarding leukaemia
cases in Christchurch. The areas the children are ill/dead I find
my allergic reaction is very strong. Two teenagers have died recently
who also lived where the FM beams were directed to approximately the
same distance from the Ouruhia tower as the school where 3 children are
suffering leukaemia. These areas have the AM towers nearby.
A similar distance from the tower, where I had strong reaction, I
am told there were 7 suicides in 9 months. This was an area where
the FM frequencies from two towers, Philpotts Rd and Ouruhia seem to
overlap. Since the FM has been removed from the Philpotts Rd tower I do
not feel ill in that area and, as far as I am aware, there have been no
more suicides there. There were many, many, deaths from cancer in
that area.
We have asked the NZ government for a health study but there reply has
always been "NZ are members of the World Health Organisation and
are unaware of any adverse health effects within the ICNIRP
Standard"
In 1995 the only two babies born in the Ouruhia area in houses
facing line of sight to the tower both had unusual heart problems. My
neighbours child died at 6 weeks. Research links cardiac problems to
exposure to some frequencies. Most people living near the Ouruhia radio
tower suddenly experienced heart problems when the FM was first
introduced and when the 2nd FM was added. It would be interesting to
know if other children born with heart problems lived where frequencies
were directed near, or through their homes. Refer to page 92 HDER where
increased cancer was experienced in buildings in line of radar.
We are currently trying to raise money for an investigation into the
effects of these three radio towers. We would welcome
any contribution from the World Health Organisation. On page 71 /72
of HDER you will read the letter written by Professor Whale
requesting a thorough investigation into the unusual siting of
the FM/AM transmissions. His request was ignored.
I sympathise with your reaction to cell phones but I sympathise more
with the Christchurch children suffering leukaemia and their families
and I hope you will participate in a health study here in ChCh.
ChCh has the highest suicide rate in NZ. Depression is one of the
symptoms experienced by people exposed to EMR. ChCh also has 3 radio
towers at low lying sites close to the population. The FM
transmissions seem to interfere with cell phone reception therefore
where the main FM power is directed more cell phone towers have to be
built which again increases the electromagnetic smog experienced in
these neighbourhoods.
At the moment our primary aim for a health study would be
statistical.
For example:-
a. Addresses where all children with leukaemia live in ChCh and where
they lived when born.
b. Similar for children born with heart problems or who develop heart
problems..
c. Where children live who have autism/attention deficit
syndrome, and where they were born.
d. EMR research shows links with epilepsy. Find out from the support
groups if there are areas where children have more fits.
e. Addresses suicides lived at when died. Addresses where they lived
when first became depressed.
Copies of licences for the last ten years showing where operators
direct their main power and microwave links. See Dr Cherry's
recommendations Page 117 no 14.(HDER)
Thank you for reading this letter and we hope you will be able to
support a health study.
Yours sincerely,
Penny Hargreaves
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