May is MCS Awareness Month

Twenty-five governors and mayors (including the governor of Montana) have issued proclamations to raise awareness about multiple chemical sensitivity and toxic injury during the month of May. Of course, we should be pushing for education and awareness every month and day of the year, but an awareness month helps us focus public attention on our very important message.

Here are some interesting facts you might want to share with family and friends:

At least 45 million people in the U.S. report sensitivity to various chemicals.
About 3 million Americans are diagnosed with MCS.
MCS affects people of all ages, economic status, race and both genders.
Chemicals that people with MCS react to are toxic and affect everyone to some extent.
Annual expenditures for healthcare and lost productivity due to MCS are estimated at $71.8 billion dollars (that's per year).

Of course, facts don't really tell the human story of the many individuals whose lives and livelihoods are limited by this debilitating condition. We need to try hard to NOT be invisible. That doesn't mean we need to be obnoxious, but we can speak up for ourselves.

For more information on MCS awareness and facts to back up our claims, visit www.mcs-amerca.org.