Mold and the Church
Mold and the Church
I was a volunteer church secretary for over a year and was exposed to various molds. The church was infested with mold – mold was visible on many areas and a musty odor was very evident as soon as you walked into the building.
I was treated by my Infectious Disease Doctor for many months for Chronic Sinusitis and Ear infections with Antibiotics. With no relief, just becoming sicker my doctor sent me to an ENT ( ears, nose and throat specialist) who cultured my sinuses. Cultures came back positive for FUSARIUM FUNGI….. I was treated with numerous antifungals, but no cure, finally Amphotericin B was prescribed to me by use of nebulizer into my nostrils. I breathed this into my nose and sinuses and it caused lung and breathing problems, but to date my mold infection has been treated.
Mold Is Very Toxic and Can Make People Very Sick
The elders of the church had decided NOT to do anything as far as testing or remediation because they believed that MOLD CANNOT BE TOXIC or a health risk and that mold is normally found everywhere and not to be a concern. Small children attended nursery school in this church. They and their teachers were exposed daily to this toxic mold. But no one would do testing or be concerned. The board of health was contacted by a concerned parent because of the musty odor, but was turned away by the Board of Health and told her not to be concerned.
I was an active elder at the time and volunteered to do some mold testing as long as the church paid for it, which they did since no other elder would do anything else about this problem.
TOXIC MOLD SPORES of different mycotoxic species were found in numerous rooms of the church including the Sanctuary and the nursery school rooms where children played daily. THIS MADE ME SICK TO MY STOMACH, that MOLD is thought to be normal and not a health risk. To date, as far as I know after resigning as the church secretary and after resigning as Elder and church member, I do not think that any clean-up of the mold has ever been done.
The HHS and NIH and other Govt. agencies MUST warn the public that mold can be toxic and can be a health risk and that a musty moldy odor in a home, office or other building is NOT NORMAL. They must also know that visual mold growing on surfaces are not normal and that not all mold is usual household mold found in a persons bathroom shower.
Mold must be tested and then cleaned-up by a professional remediator or by the owner following OSHA guidelines.
I have now been diagnosed with Porphyria, a very rare disease that can be acquired from very serious infections. DID THE MOLD INFECTION cause this lifetime rare disease that I now have????? Who knows, but there are many others in this country that are suffering from the toxic effects of mold.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime and please listen to our stories and how mold has impacted our lives in a very negative way.
Thanks for listening and God bless
Rosemary O.
Freehold, NJ
©Nathan Ballentine 
