My family was exposed to toxic mold in our home in Johnston, Iowa. Toxic mold can happen anywhere. My name is Cheryl Wisecup, but you don’t need my name to understand this issue. I am writing to you on behalf of millions of Americans who have been harmed by exposure to toxic mold.
Toxic mold causes serious health problems. We need your help to get laws passed in order to ensure that the American people can get appropriate medical care and the correct information regarding the handling and remediation of toxic mold. We need laws and regulations in regard to people who test and remediate mold in order to stop the fraud and deceit that has been occurring throughout the country.
Toxic mold can happen to anyone. My family’s experience is a good example of what has been happening to families throughout the country. We had toxic mold in our home. We lost our home, our health, all of our personal belongings and our financial security. What if your family lost everything—your home, your health, your personal property, your family mementos, your financial security, and your children’s sense of safety?
For 50 years, the tobacco industry denied the truth about the health effects of tobacco. How long will the insurance industry and other stakeholders be allowed to deny the truth about the health effects of toxic mold? We need to expose the truth now and educate the public about the proper way to handle mold problems in our homes, schools and businesses. If your family was exposed to toxic mold, wouldn’t you want laws in place to protect your loved ones? This is all we are asking. We need your leadership and action on this very important issue.
The following information will give you a good place to start in understanding the issues that need to be addressed. These ten items are a very small sample of the thousands of documents available on this topic. I thought these items would be most helpful in your efforts to create new laws and regulations about mold-related issues. You might also review the mold legislation that was proposed by Representative John Conyers.
Toxic mold is a very serious health threat, and we need to do enact laws to help protect all Americans. I hope this information is helpful as you work to develop laws and regulations about mold-related issues.
1. The following paper has an insightful discussion of whether mold contamination in homes can be regulated. “Can Mold Contamination of Homes be Regulated–Lessons Learned from Radon and Lead Policies”? The answer is yes.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es0620585
2. The State of California issued mold remediation guidelines. This is one of the most up-to-date reports available. It contains references to several important articles about the health effects of toxic mold. The U.S. Navy also has mold remediation guidelines.
http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/06/01/06-001.pdf
http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/downloads/prevmed/katrina/ihfom_ch13-3.pdf
3. The State of Nevada recently passed legislation designating September 2009 as toxic mold awareness month, and the State of Arkansas passed legislation regarding standards and qualifications for mold investigators. You could use this information as a starting point for one part of your legislation, but you would want to get input from experts.
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/75th2009/Bills/ACR/ACR7_EN.pdf
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1467.pdf
4. The U.S. Surgeon General just announced the federal government’s new Healthy Home Initiative which discusses mold and mold toxins, along with lead paint and radon, and other issues that can affect the indoor environment in homes.
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/healthyhomes/calltoactiontopromotehealthyhomes.pdf
5. The Center for School Mold Help has a lot of valuable information about mold in schools and also has an excellent article discussing how certain stakeholders are trying to hide the truth about the health effects of toxic mold.
https://www.schoolmoldhelp.org/content/view/1639/46/
6. There are many books available on this subject including these two books:
Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control” This book was published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists in 1999
“Molds and Mycotoxins–Papers from an International Symposium” This book was edited by Kaye Kilburn, M.D., and was published by Heldref Publications in 2004.
7. James Craner, M.D., has published several good articles and reports on this topic, including “A Critique of the ACOEM Statement on Mold.” Another leading expert is Jack Thrasher, Ph.D., who is a toxicologist.
http://www.drcraner.com/images/ACritiqueoftheACOEMStatementonMold.pdf
8. The following links are from military textbooks. The first one is Chapter 34 on Trichothecene Mycotoxins, and the second one is Chapter 4 on Toxins (which includes information about mycotoxins). If the U.S. military can admit that mycotoxins are dangerous, then why are the insurance companies allowed to deny that mycotoxins cause health problems.
http://www.envirochex.com/Downloads/Chapter34_Military_Medicine.pdf
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1018.5/MR1018.5.chap4.html
9. The University of Connecticut published a handbook in 2004 titled “Guidance for Clinicians on the Recognition and Management of Health Effects Related to Mold Exposure and Moisture Indoors.”
http://oehc.uchc.edu/images/PDFs/MOLDGUIDE.pdf
10. Ritchie Shoemaker, M.D., is one of the leading doctors in the country who are helping people who have been harmed by exposure to toxic mold. This is the link for Dr. Shoemaker’s website:
Katy's Exposure 
I have a home that has taken water almost every year I have lived there. My roof is considered a flat roof, I have made 5 claims all the same to the insurance company, I have ask for mold checks approx, 3 years ago another water damage this all leaks into the house, walls, ducts, carpet and I was told to sign a waiver I would not so the insurance agent got mad and I basically did not hear from him anymore. This January it happened again, I have been smelling a awful smell for a few years coming from the vents when heat or air is on, being on a cement slab most air ducts cleaning companies do not want to come in because it can mess up your system so therefore i tried with a basic shop vac.In the meantime UN be known to me my daughter was vomiting every day and had migraines and the developed a cough chronic, I also getting sick coughing, bronchitis, fatigue, basically sick daily. I make a claim again cause this January it happened again, the insurance company sends there company to inspect water damage and says, like they said 3 years ago just needs paint NO MOLD here….. Well since that time I have been in and out of the hospital diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. So now they send out a mold inspection company and guess what 5 toxic molds all hidden behind they walls house is basically not fixable, my health is deteriorating my daughter is sick and coughs daily we have NO medical insurance. The insurance company has offered me a small amount of money and says I quote I would like to cut this check and CLOSE the file because they only cover a certain amount for mold, not mentioning that 3 years ago when I ask them to check I was basically told NO so we lived in that toxic waste and they will not discuss. there just take it and go away…… There should be major laws put into effect starting with insurance companies who lie and look the other way, health environment I called them and they were a joke, I called Center Disease Control they have a recording you don’t get to speak to anyone and the recording is a joke also NO ONE CARES NO ONE…. I am literally fighting to breath daily and I have left the home and moved into a townhouse I cannot work so now I am facing losing this place also, state help 90 days before you even get a answer been turned down already once, social security disability takes 6 months or longer I ask what do you do in the meantime…. WHO CARES….
08/11/09 Hi, Cheryl. I also have been doing alot of research, for information on Ventral Hernia’s, which is caused by muscle tissue weakness. In doing research and cross, links I have fournd that mold is also a part of weakness to the immune system. Which is caused by Yeast infection/ to much yeast turns into Candidas. Which is the cause of Fibromyalgia. and Herniosis. I can relate to growing up in a older home that would get damp in the corners of the room along the windows and mop boards. This was some 45 years ago. About the only way get rid of it was pure bleach or pure pine sol.This was in home with out AC, fuel oil to heat home in winter time. open window during summer time.Their is so much being hidden to the public, but it’s in the name of GREED OF THE OLE MIGHT $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$”s Let treat but not cure If all medical problems were cured,
Thanks go to Cheryl for that post and like you Luz we were blocked from ovr right to Due Process also and that is the reason for this site. katy
Thanks for speaking on behalf of those who can’t!
Thanks for being a voice for my family in Phoenix, AZ!
During the past several years I was not able to find a state or federal agency willing to conduct a serious investigation of our homeowner’s insurance company and their preferred provider, though I have proof of fraud! It appears that families involved in toxic mold cases are surrounded by intimidation, harassments and unethical conduct inside and outside the system.
My sons and I were blocked from our right to Due Process. The unethical/criminal conduct inside the court system finally blocked our right to go before a jury trial! It is impossible to defend yourself when evidence is altered, added or just vanishes. Neither Judges nor juries can rule on fictitious evidence!
With the Truth for Justice, Luz in Phoenix-AZ