THIS ANNUAL MEMORIAL HONOURS WOMEN GLOBALLY who’ve lost their lives because of Breast Implants and injectable materials; long-time advocates; and women whose implants may or may not have definitively factored into their death. Just being a silicone sister is enough. If they were part of our community we want to acknowledge them. This year, 2019, marks its third observation. September 25th, the date chosen is the actual death date of BETTYE CAROLINE YALLER, but it’s representative of ALL of our fallen sisters.
‘REMEMBERING FALLEN ANGELS OF BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS‘ was created for the sake of those within the BII community, though hopefully, it will raise awareness outside of our community as well.
Included in this blog post are a small number of personal stories; anecdotal tidbits; various ways Breast Implants impact mortality; links to scientific and news articles; links to other blog posts.
Bettye Caroline Yaller’s doctors were unfamiliar with BIA-ALCL. By the time Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) was diagnosed it was too late to save her. Her daughter, Vikki Radow, has become a strong advocate for getting her mother’s story out.
Vikki Radow: “She had breast cancer 30 years prior — she was a breast cancer survivor.
Due to the cancer, she had a mastectomy and implant placed in. She had many implants in and out over the course of 30 years.
Her first symptoms were: Rash around her breast with the implant, shortness of breath, pains in the implant, swollen lymph nodes, fluid around the implant and chest cavity, a mass on chest wall.
They could not figure out what all these symptoms meant.
Test after test after test — she quickly started to die. Was put on a ventilator and was given her first dose of CHOP chemo while on ventilator — she was finally diagnosed with ALCL from the implant. But it was LATE in the game for her.
She had 6 rounds of CHOP, the implant was never removed and she died on the operating table while trying to get it out. They resuscitated her but her heart, lungs etc were toast after all the chemo etc. She died within weeks on Sept 25, 2012. In fact, it was 5 years ago today I took her to the hospital and she never returned home. I’m still in shock.”
Vikki Raddow said that when she had heard the F.D.A. reported nine deaths from implant-associated lymphoma, “I said, ‘Oh, my God, my mother was one of those nine.”” Bettye’s story was featured in a New York Times article May 14, 2017, written by: Denise Grady. We are grateful to Denise Grady for creating some awareness around the issue. Link to the New York Times article here.
Susan R Scott’s daughter wrote: “By the time this illness killed her, she had suffered from virtually every symptom on the list. I know my Mom would want to use her life to save others.”
My name is Jordana Edwards and I am now the voice for one who’s voice can no longer be heard. My mother.
Like many women who got breast implants my mother hated having a flat chest, she felt that she wasn’t a women without large breast, hated that she had to buy clothes from the children’s section, the irony is that as she got sicker she again had to buy clothes from the kids section as she had gotten so tiny.
I cannot remember exactly when my mum started to get sick, I do remember it was a gradual thing, back ache here, unusual bruising there. But as it began to progress I began to do more and more for mum. The doctors of course never mentioned that her symptoms could have had anything to do with her implants. Gradually my mum, who would get up at 4am to go to her job of exercising race horses, come home and get my then step brother and myself ready for school, would go to her full time day job, go back to the race horses after that, come home and get us dinner then go to her waitressing job simply couldn’t do it anymore.
Somehow mum heard about the problems women were having with their implants and realized that this was happening to her as well. She joined the class action against Dow Corning and Bristol Myers Squid, with thousands of other Australian women. The amount of research my mum did was staggering, and what she found was horrific – the toxic chemicals that made up the silicone that was now coursing through her body was terrifying. The class action was successful but what the Australian women won was nowhere near what American women won, but no amount of money would make up for what mum had no lost. Her independence, her health.
She finally got them out, and that in itself was a ordeal in itself as the first doctor cancelled 3 times, mum then rang the hospital that put them in and demanded they take them out. It was closing the stable door after the horse had bolted – both implants had completely ruptured and the silicone was all through her body. Nothing was going to reverse what had happened now.
By the time I was 18 I was my mothers full time carer, something that was to continue until I was 38 when I simply had nothing left and couldn’t care for her any more and put her into full time care, the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.
Mum had: rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, lupus, sjogrens disease, fibromyalgia, bruised easily, chronic fatigue, hair loss, weight loss (she was 35 kg) and many other aliments. The hospital had three large folders on mum.
In late February 2015 the care facility mum was at rang me to say that she was not well, hard to wake etc. I went there as the doctor was coming to see her and he said the words I’d be dreading her time was coming to an end. Mum had fought so hard and for so long, had stared death in the face so many times and told it to f#%* off. Now, she embraced it. The constant pain, a broken body were just too much. Watching my mother in her final days was beyond heartbreaking, she wasn’t aware and didn’t know we were there. For once my love and strength couldn’t help her. We were told it could take a week and so I went to work, I got the call that it was happening from my aunt and I raced to her, breaking the speed limit. But I was too late. Mum passed away seconds after my aunt called me. Going in and seeing her lying there just about destroyed me. And in the nearly 3 years since I lost her I’m still trying to find myself in a world without my rock; I have no husband, no children (caring for mum meant that never happened).
If mum knew of someone who wanted breast implants she’d tell them her story and I don’t know of an instance that it didn’t convince them not to go through with it.
I miss my mum more than anything in this world, I was robbed of her my breast implants. It if I can use her story to talk someone out of breast implants I will, and I have.
From Adella Mathew: Ivana had two sets of silicone implants, the first set at 29 years of age. When she died Easter Monday 1996, she was 52 years and 9 months old.
Her advice to all women who have implants, or are contemplating getting them, is: “Nobody can be truly well with implants, love yourself for the way you are. Your creator has given you a beautiful body; please don’t you and your doctor try to improve it. Breast implants are very toxic and they are the greatest insult we can give our body.”
From: Adella Matthew http://implantawareness.com
‘We will always remember Ivana Buchar; Karen Gates, Cleo Bara, along with Clara Schimpf, our secretary, Ann Gage-Cole our Vice President. None ever reached 60 years of age. Ricky McAndrew was 70 years old when she passed in 1996. These six women will always be remembered. Their suffering and pain are acknowledged; they have not died in vain.’
Alain Matz, Candi’s husband writes:
In a word, Candi was selfless. No matter how how terrible she felt, physically or emotionally, her light had never shone brighter than when she helped other people pick themselves up. She didn’t want sympathy, she didn’t want pity. She wanted to help others smile. And she did.
Lisa will be remembered for her gentle spirit and loving nature. She was always so positive and used to say, “Never forget how far you’ve come. Everything you have gotten through. All the mornings you just didn’t want to get out of bed, but you did.” (quote: Rita Giorgio-Masson)
Stacey Phelan Olson, Ashley Jade’s sister, writes this message:
My beautiful sister who battled BII for 25+ years. 💔 It’s been four years since she laid down (because she wasn’t feeling well, again) and never woke up. At 5’7” she was down to a 90lb warrior. I watched her battle like hell year after year after year. She wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I hope reading her obit changes even ONE young woman’s mind. 🦋 I only wish we’d found this group, she would have been totally validated!! And had support other than me, my dear sweet husband, our daughter and a few dear friends. Too many friends and even family abandoned her out of frustration and misunderstanding. She would have gladly donated her body for medical research on implants, had it ever occurred to us. She would have done that for you, and me and every woman who thinks she isn’t perfect just the way she is. 💔🌹🦋
(Note: The group Stacey is referring to is a Facebook group: Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole. It has 50,000+ members.)
From Rosanna Smith (Rosie) Implant~Info~Net: Mary died from an autoimmune disease related to a breast implant she got following mastectomy, in 1998.
From Rosanna Smith (Rosie) Implant~Info~Net: Pam worked hard to ensure other women were informed about the risks, pain and suffering of breast reconstruction surgeries.
REMEMBERING LONG TIME ADVOCATES
Adella Matthew, founder of ‘Implant Awareness Society’, was a long-time advocate from British Columbia, Canada. Her husband, Richard Matthew wrote a beautiful tribute to his beloved Adella:
Posted on March 21, 2019 by Adella
My wife, Adella Matthew, was an exceptional woman. She devoted her life and, in spite of her own health challenges, always found the time to assist other people, whether for implant related problems or for those requesting her help as an energy practitioner. She never received the help or recognition that she deserved. She spent many hours on the telephone and the computer with people and assuring them that their problems were real; many told her, “Adella you saved my life”. She preferred the telephone because typing emails was hard on her arthritic hands.
Adella was one of the founding members of the I.A.S. Implant Awareness Society and served as the president from the society’s inception until she passed away on 2018 December 27 at the age of 88. She worked hard to get the society established as a charity. The society and the website will remain as long as I am alive.
I am sure there are hundreds of people who will miss Adella almost as much as I do. She suffered a lot of pain in the final months of her life but did not give up until the pain became too much to endure; she began to say that she was ready to die. A good friend suggested to me that she was just waiting for my permission to go. On December 27, I confirmed with her that she was ready to depart this world and then I told her that she had my permission to go to her Heavenly Father. This was very difficult for me.
When I left her around 3:45 pm, I kissed her goodnight, told her I loved her, and said I would see her the next day; she nodded her assent. Around 5:00 pm that evening, I received a call from the doctor saying that Adella was failing. I thought he was talking about days or maybe weeks. At 7:00 pm I had another call from the nurse looking after her that night, she said, “I think Adella is passing, I can still feel a pulse but I think she has stopped breathing”. A minute later she said, “oh, she is gone”. This happened only a bit more than three hours after I had left her. In the end, thankfully, she went quickly and peacefully.
In closing, I would just like to paraphrase a line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
I say this with love, admiration, and respect:
Goodnight sweetheart, may bands of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Richard Matthew
http://implantawareness.com
Lynda Roth died June 17, 2010 metastatic breast cancer
Lynda Roth Founder and President of Coalition of Silicone Survivors, a Non-Profit Organization. Lynda testified at the FDA numbers times and helped put on conferences in Australia, Europe, Canada, and the U.S.
Rogene Lorene Schorer was a strong advocate for breast implant survivors lobbying in Washington, DC.
In 1982 PJ Brent was implanted with Double Lumen implants, which contained both silicone and saline chambers. After becoming ill from her implants, and believing they also caused the two children she’d breastfed after getting them to become ill, PJ launched a worldwide crusade against implants. She testified at the FDA hearing on saline implants. She also appeared on CNN Headline News, as well as in newspapers, radio, and Redbook magazine. She was so well loved 1,200 people attended her funeral. PJ’s husband, Ed Brent, testified at FDA after his wife’s death.
Cindy Fuchs-Morrissey underwent a bilateral mastectomy at 35 after three silicone-gel sets to correct a deformity. Her first set in 1976, at age 18, were a birthday present from her parents.
After being diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic cancer, Cindy wrote: “ .. cancer is NOT the worst thing that can ever happen in life .. being exposed to failed silicone gel breast implants still was far worse for me than dealing with stage 4 cancer. I AM NOT KIDDING. .. the Art of Medicine failed me in my youth and continues to fail, not just me, but humanity and the generations to come.” She passed away in spring 2016.
Lana was an advocate for people injured by Silicone Hypersensitivity. She strived to help as many people as possible suffering from damage caused by allergies to Silicon medical implants and prostheses. She battled pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers, and created videos for YouTube called, ‘Immune Response to Silicone‘ and ‘Silicone Immune Response‘.
Misty Davis-Branscum (Lana’s daughter) wrote:
“My mother Lana Merriam passed away from illnesses due to her breast implants in 2014. Her life was cut short at just 56 years old. She was very loving, caring, strong, and a no-nonsense type of woman. When she realized she was ill she spent every day trying to understand what was happening to her and why. She wanted so badly to get her story out there to try to educate people, and try to help women who were suffering from the same issues. She did everything she could to fight the things that were happening to her body, unfortunately when they discontinued the only lifesaving inhaler she could use, she lost her long battle.”
Joyce Attis founded Breast Implant Line of Canada, a National support and self-help group for women who have had silicone gel breast implants.
Madeline Boscoe and Anne Rochon Ford, of Canadian Women’s Health Network, wrote a great tribute to Joyce: Tribute to a Fighter: S. Joyce Attis
“The movement to raise public awareness in Canada about concerns associated with breast implants lost one of its most hard-working and committed advocates recently. Joyce Attis, known to many as the voice for breast implant victims, died in Toronto on November 25, 2010 .. (follow the link to read the full tribute).
“Lori Dobson, one of our original support group leaders in Canada ..” (quote: Joyce Attis, deceased)
Jackie Paisley was a renowned and accomplished bodybuilder.
BREAST IMPLANT ASSOCIATED ANAPLASTIC LARGE CELL LYMPHOMA (BIA-ALCL)
In April 2019, following a damning investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) known as the ‘Implant Files’ (published November 2018), France was first to take action banning two categories of breast implants associated with a higher risk of BIA-ALCL. Other countries followed suit.
On May 28, 2019 Health Canada suspended Allergan’s licences for its Biocell breast implants after a safety review concluded an increased risk of cancer. There were 26 confirmed cases of BIA-ALCL in Canada at the time the licenses were suspended. Twenty-two of those cases were involving Biocell implants.
At least 38 countries took action banning Allergan textured implants and expanders most linked to BIA-ALCL.
July 24, 2019 – Allergan issued a voluntary recall of its Biocell breast implants and expanders.
https://www.icij.org/investigations/implant-files/
At the time of the first memorial event in 2017 .. TWELVE women were confirmed to have died from BIA-ALCL. The FDA noted 359 reports of BIA-ALCL and 9 deaths as of February 2017 but, a newer document released noted 464 reports worldwide from 40 databases and 12 deaths. https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/BreastImplants/ucm239995.htm
In 2019 there are 792 cases, worldwide with 33 deaths. There are many more suspected cases that are being investigated. The BIA-ALCL landscape is changing nearly daily. Though BIA-ALCL is said to be a ‘rare’ cancer, now that they’re testing for it, if you chart incidence on a graph it shows a sharp trajectory upward.
It should be noted that it’s suspected there have been many women that have died from BIA-ALCL without having been diagnosed. As more women are being tested there has been a significant spike in cases.
UPDATE: September 13, 2019
The FDA has identified this as a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall. Use of these devices may cause serious injuries or death.
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-device-recalls/allergan-recalls-natrelle-biocell-textured-breast-implants-due-risk-bia-alcl-cancer?fbclid=IwAR0Xo06mxB7ZcP8qFccOMXt2UJbsyI99UUoIEXP5ejQQICbBvfFNqK-HGxE
Susan died in 2012. Susan’s family did what they could to raise awareness on her behalf. Regrettably, Susan is not the only fatal case of BIA-ALCL in the UK. When we last enquired about the figures in October there had been 11 cases reported and according to the MHRA linked equally to different brands of implant and not limited to PIP.
Edwidge Ligoneche, of France, died from ruptured PIP implants and BIA-ALCL
From Sherry’s sister, Tina Marie Hedrick: Sister, Daughter, Mother, Wife, Friend.
Mcghann Textured Saline implants… BIA-ALCL. Diagnosed with ‘Rare T-Cell non-Hodgkins Lymphoma’ Christmas of 2007. Chemo, Radiation, stem cell transplant with implants STILL IN PLACE. Died Valentine’s Day 2009.
(See Bettye Caroline Yaller’s Story above)
SUICIDE
PJ Brent took her life on Memorial Day, May 29, 2000 .. she was 49 years old.
Autopsy showed she had Platinum in every organ in her body. The level in her brain was so high a doctor said, “I don’t know how she was able to function.” Ed Brent, PJ’s widower, shares his wife’s story in hopes that it will prevent other deaths.
PJ’s Obituary dated June 2, 2000:
PJ’s husband, Ed Brent, testified at an FDA hearing. In his testimony he said his wife had committed suicide two months after testifying at a previous hearing on breast implants. She believed that silicone from her implants had seeped into her breast milk and sickened her two children. He said the children she had breastfed before the implants are healthy. “P. J. felt terrible guilt that her two daughters had been so seriously harmed by her decision to get breast implants.”
The two children PJ breastfed with implants also had high levels of Platinum. One daughter at age 3 was diagnosed with esophageal motility disorder; the other daughter has Crohn’s Disease. Both are in a wheelchair.
Ed Brent, said PJ was a WONDERFUL mother and put her kids above everything else.
(Ilena Rosenthal’s Memorial for PJ Brent ..)
2019 – OUR BII COMMUNITY HAS GRIEVED MULTIPLE SUICIDE DEATHS IN RECENT YEARS
MAUDE:
The MAUDE database houses medical device reports submitted to the FDA by mandatory reporters (manufacturers, importers and device user facilities) and voluntary reporters such as health care professionals, patients and consumers. (From the FDA website)
Despite a spike in Adverse Events Reports being acknowledged with 2018 supposedly being the ‘largest single-year of reports’ as of (July 31, 2018) FDA wasn’t being transparent.
FDA admitted to at least 3,450 breast implant-related adverse events reports within a 2-month period, but there was a secret database unavailable to the public.
As per the MAUDE database:
May 2018 – approximately 1735 adverse events reports
June 2018 – approximately 1715+ adverse events reports
(By comparison, June 2017 showed approximately 52 adverse events reports.)
The shoe was about to drop ..
An award-winning investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the outstanding work of Mardris Tomes (Device Events) revealed there had been at least 450K hidden breast implant-related Adverse Events Reports.
Caught with their ‘hand in the cookie jar’ FDA has now promised to be more transparent. We’ll see ..
The BII community is deeply grateful to ICIJ and Madris Tomes (Device Events) for their work exposing the deep underbelly of the breast implant industry and implantable medical devices at large.
For more information on Madris Tomes’ work you can contact her: madris@deviceevents.com
To read the ICIJ article:
https://www.icij.org/investigations/implant-files/fda-releases-vast-trove-of-hidden-medical-device-injury-and-malfunction-reports/
MORTALITIES FROM BREAST IMPLANTS
Some women have died from events confirmed as being related to breast implants, such as complications resulting from surgical procedures and Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. Most women, however, have died without a connection being made.
Just as there’s denial within the medical community around Breast Implants making women sick, there’s equally lack of awareness or acceptance around their impact on mortality. Outside of known BIA-ALCL cases it’s fair to say most women that have died from Breast Implant related issues probably slipped away with the role their implants played being undiagnosed.
Even when the cause of death seems perhaps unrelated to Breast Implants, they can play a contributing, yet unrecognized role.
MANY WOMEN WITH IMPLANTS spend years or even decades feeling like they’re dying. If intervention doesn’t come soon enough, they are left clinging to just ‘this side of death’. Some end up dying before receiving the care necessary to save their life. And, for some the endless suffering leads them to take their life. Even when breast implants are removed the impact of residual and migrated silicone impacts health, quality of life, and mortality.
The road to DEATH IS OFTEN A SLOW, PAINFUL, QUALITY-OF-LIFE-ROBBING DECLINE. Often decades of robbed health and vitality as the immune system struggles to fight off the toxic, foreign invaders.
THE IMPACT OF BREAST IMPLANTS ON HEALTH IS STILL LARGELY UNACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
If not for the information and support women find in BII (Breast Implant Illness) forums the death toll from implants would surely be much greater.
NICOLE DARUDA (Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole, on Facebook): “If we had listened to our doctors telling us that our illness is not from our breast implants, eventually some of us would have lost our life or much of what was left of it.”
BREAST IMPLANTS – A MASSIVE FAILED EXPERIMENT with WOMEN as HUMAN GUINEA PIGS
“The silicone breast implant fiasco is a sad case of corporate indifference and regulatory mismanagement.” Ted Weiss (D-N. Y.) House Subcommittee Chainnan New York Times, 312019
After the ICIJ ‘Implant Files’ investigation was published November 2019, landing a heavy blow to the breast implant industry and regulatory agencies, there was a slight shift toward admission that something’s going on .. that women actually are getting sick from their breast implants.
On May 2nd, 2019 the FDA released the following response: “While the FDA doesn’t have definitive evidence demonstrating breast implants cause these symptoms, the current evidence supports that some women experience systemic symptoms that may resolve when their breast implants are removed, referred to by some patients and health care professionals as breast implant illness. We believe women considering a breast implant should be aware of these risks. As we describe below, we are taking steps to better characterize the condition and its risk factors, and are considering ways to help to ensure women have all of the information they need to make informed decisions about whether to obtain breast implants or to remove existing breast implants in an effort to reverse systemic symptoms.”
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-principal-deputy-commissioner-amy-abernethy-md-phd-and-jeff-shuren-md-jd-director-fdas
Research into ‘Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma’ (BIA-ALCL) has also helped turn the tides through shining light on the role of inflammation, biofilms/bacteria, genetics, allergic reaction, and time (length of time with implants) as playing a role. The role of toxic chemicals has largely been ignored because research is manufacturer-funded, and they won’t go there.
Despite these hopeful admissions, there is still for the most-part resistance, even push-back, within the medical community. Women are still frequently hung out to dry medically and must turn to social media platforms for information and support.
SERIOUS AUTOIMMUNE ILLNESSES & TOXICITY THAT CONTRIBUTE TO DEATH
WHEN BREAST IMPLANTS CAN CAUSE A POTENTIALLY FATAL CANCER OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM it’s not a far leap that they can, and DO wreak havoc on the immune system. The truth can no longer be denied. Breast implants have killed women and will continue to do so until, and unless, manufacturers and regulatory bodies start telling the truth and take steps to better protect women undergoing breast augmentation with Breast Implants.
Breast implants contain heavy metals. The toxic effect of heavy metals in humans is well documented. Manufacturers say concentrations of heavy metals used in their implants are so low that they would absolutely not cause negative impact on health. And yet, when women with implants are tested for heavy metals their levels are often off-the-chart. Long term exposure to even low levels of heavy metals will have significant impact over time.
An autopsy was done on a woman that committed suicide because she could no longer take the suffering. Platinum was found in all of her organs, including her brain, in concentrations that led her doctor to state he didn’t know how she could have functioned with such degree of toxicity.
Breast implants contain known carcinogens, endocrine disrupters, and neurotoxins. They sit within 2-3 cm of vital organs. Silicone, and the toxic chemicals it contains, often migrate to surrounding and distant tissue, lymph nodes, and organs.
Silicone used in breast implants causes an acute inflammation specific to breast implants. It is a completely man-made inflammation. The role chronic inflammation plays in developing cancer is well documented.
POSTHUMOUS TESTING – #STUDYUS
RESIDUAL SILICONE AND MORTALITY
Regulatory bodies and manufacturers refuse to #StudyUs – women adversely affected by breast implants. Women included in manufacturer-funded studies that report complications or illness are dropped from studies. In 2018 it was finally publically revealed that manufacturers have failed to fulfill the conditions placed on them when breast implants were conditionally re-approved in 2006. THERE IS NO LONG-TERM SAFETY DATA. If they want to know the truth we’re right here, willing to participate – but, it seems evident their avoidance of including us is a clever ploy to avoid having to admit the truth.
Women harmed through having breast implants should have the option of being followed through studies with NO FINANCIAL TIES to those profiting from implants. We should be followed after our implants have been removed and autopsies performed posthumously (for women who choose this option) to find the truth of where silicone has gone within us, and it’s impact on our health.
IF regulating bodies actually wanted to know the TRUTH this would be done routinely. However, they don’t want the truth getting out, so they BURY the truth with us.
RESULTS OF A WOMAN’S AUTOPSY:
“Annalise (not her real name) decided she would not die in vain. The Dutch resident suffered for years with pain and a host of strange undiagnosed symptoms before contracting the breast cancer that would eventually kill her.
Before her death at the age of 56 in 2008, Annalise decided to donate her body to medical science to find out the truth about why she’d developed cancer. Dr Ruth Kappel, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Zwolle, The Netherlands, led the pathology team that dissected the body.
Through special instrumentation using light and electron microscopy and X-ray analysis of the body’s internal organs and nervous system tissue, the key to Annalise’s suffering stood starkly revealed. She’d had breast implants 17 years before, and the silicone had migrated throughout her body, even to distant organs—her ovaries, her thyroid, her bladder and throughout her spinal cord. In fact, silicone was everywhere in every tissue tested—and in unusually high amounts.” (Excerpt from Boob Jobs Busted, by Lynne McTaggart – June 2016 (Vol. 27 Issue 3)
Silicone was found in virtually every part of her body despite her implants not being ruptured. She was impacted by Gel Bleed, which is particularly significant as all breast implants bleed toxic chemicals into women’s bodies. Despite Breast implants being used since the early 60’s REGULATORY BODIES and MANUFACTURERS say they don’t know the long term effect of migrated silicone in the body. IT DEFIES BELIEF THAT THEY’VE GOTTEN AWAY WITH THIS FOR SO LONG! The NEWSFLASH is that WE KNOW ALL TOO WELL what it does to us – it makes us ill and it kills us!
GEL BLEED and RUPTURE OF SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS investigated by Light
Silicone in Breast Implants is NOT inert!
Manufacturers and regulatory bodies that deny the truth and refuse to #StudyUs will cause more needless deaths. They must include Real World Evidence in regulating decisions. Women losing their lives shouldn’t be anecdotal.
Photo above: This woman has silicone migrated throughout her lymph system and chest wall .. an MRI scan revealed there is a pocket of silicone over hear heart. #toxicPIPs
Above photo: This is just one view of many which show extensive migrated silicone
WOMEN ARE TOLD TILL THEIR DYING BREATH THEIR IMPLANTS HAVEN’T IMPACTED THEIR HEALTH (with the exception of BIA-ALCL).
DOCTORS ARE FAILING WOMEN WITH BREAST IMPLANTS
Doctors that fail to properly diagnose women ill from Breast Implants may lead them more quickly toward their grave.
There is LACK OF SCREENING FOR POORER CANDIDATES with pre-existing conditions or genetic pre-disposition to developing serious autoimmune illnesses that may impact health and mortality.
INCREASED RISK OF SUICIDE WITH BREAST IMPLANTS
There’s been focus recently in the media on the relationship between breast implants and an increased risk of suicide. Advocates of women’s health and safety, such as Dr. Diana Zuckerman (National Centre of Health Research), and journalist Kimberly Suiters (7 On Your Side Investigates) have done a really good job bringing this extremely important issue to light.
Studies that conclude underlying psychiatric disorders were present before augmentation with implants, suggesting implants were incidental in suicide, are invariably written by researchers and doctors receiving money from manufacturers.
Dr Charles Radis, a Rheumatologist with financial ties to Pfizer, suggests women that get breast implants are different from the general female population: “.. researchers have documented a number of differences between women who are seeking breast augmentation and the general population. In nearly every measure of psychological health, from low self-esteem, to depression, to frequency of psychiatric admissions, divorce and increased alcohol and cigarette use, in general, breast augmentation women differ from women who forego the procedure.” (Charles Radis, DO) ** It should be noted the author receives money from manufacturers. **
Dr. Radis’ articles highlight the way the medical system is gravely failing women with breast implants.
Absolutely, just as within the general population, there is a percentage of women with implants that had a previous history of serious mental health issues – and if there was a proper screening process those women might have been flagged as poor candidates for Breast Implants and refused surgery. However, greed trumps safety in the Breast Implants industry.
To suggest that underlying mental illness vs the relentless suffering experienced by women sick from their implants (BII) leads them to commit suicide is not only a mysogynistic ‘blame the victim’ tactic, its unethical and cruel. It’s despicable to implant women with toxic devices and then leave them hung out to dry when they become ill, but THAT IS THE REALITY.
Everyone in the Breast Implants industry (manufacturers / regulatory bodies / plastic surgeons) are more than happy to make money (LOTS of money) off of women opting for breast augmentation using breast implants. They don’t tell the women they’re ‘nuts and sluts’ when they seek the procedure, they save that for after they’ve become ill.
Jamee Bramlett Cook (ALCL In Women With Breast Implants BIA-ALCL;
Pursuing Explantation – My path to health after breast implant illness;
Breast Implant Victim Advocacy (B.I.V.A.), on Facebook)
(in response to an online article posted by Dr. Drew regarding increased risk of suicide with implants): “I have met thousands of women who didn’t have anxiety or depression until the breast implants were placed. You can’t even begin to understand the frustration of being sick and no one being able to find out what’s wrong. You’re sent from doctor to doctor with no true explanation for this new onset of sometimes debilitating symptoms. As a last resort, you’re sent to a psychiatrist because it has to be in your head, right?? The problem with this is that over 75% of the women (probably even higher) have a drastic improvement in symptoms once the implants and scar capsule are removed. If you’d like some real stories behind the link to suicide, we can help you there. Talk to the women who have lost their jobs or husbands due to chronic illness. Talk to the women who are now on disability due to neurological symptoms or Autoimmune disorders. Talk to the women who have children with birth defects or health problems and they question whether their toxic implants played a part in that. It’s scary and it’s very real! Those are the people that need to be behind an article like this. If you have developed symptoms since your implantation, reach out to Breast Implant Victim Advocacy so we can link to the 100 support groups and pages. If you’ve developed a sudden onset swelling, seroma, mass, or capsular contracture (especially if you have textured implants), please join us at ALCL In Women With Breast Implants BIA-ALCL to learn more. #breastimplantillness #biaalcl” (Dr. Drew’s article posted in the links at the bottom of this blog post.)
Another comment in response to Dr. Drew’s article:
“I absolutely understand how women can get to the point of taking their own life. When I was sick to the point where I knew I was in mortal danger (though I had no idea what was wrong) I ended up in the hospital for ten days. When blood tests came back negative the doctors decided my illness was psychosomatic. Nothing prepared me for that; it felt like I was in the Twilight Zone.
I went from hoping I was finally going to get help to being pushed off a ledge into hell.
One night I stood on the bank of a river wanting to just fall in so that the river would carry my suffering away. I could imagine floating away and slipping into peace as I succumbed. I didn’t want to die .. I just couldn’t take the unbearable suffering and knowing I had no one to help me. I was sobbing and crying out from the depth of my being in guttural cries .. pleading to God for help.
My heart truly breaks when I hear of women that just couldn’t take the suffering any longer. I really, really get it. For most that take their life I absolutely believe it’s because they just can’t take the suffering any more vs. “psychiatric problems associated with self-esteem or body image that exist prior to the surgery”
Every single day I would have to pray for the strength to get through suffering that spanned years. It’s unthinkable that we’re implanted with high risk devices with known serious, even fatal, complications but, are told those devices can’t possibly be making us ill. It’s unthinkable that when suffering from these toxic sacs of poison is so unbearable it leads someone to take their own life that it is reduced by the medical community to saying the women must have had a psychiatric disorder.”
Plastic surgeons that claim there’s no connection to suicide and breast implants should walk a mile in the shoes of their patients that have become ill and left to suffer by the medical community. Women adversely impacted by implants know there absolutely IS correlation and women seeking breast implants should be warned of this potential risk.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THE EARLY DAYS, EXCEPT THAT BREAST IMPLANTS MAY BE EVEN DEADLIER THAN BEFORE
Women in 2019 who have experienced losing their health (and some their life), as a result of Breast Implants are saying the SAME things and have experienced the SAME symptoms as women since the early 60’s when Breast Implants were introduced.
PJ Brent who later lost her life to suicide attended this rally. The other ladies are still alive. (Photo above)
Prior to the 60’s injectable silicone and other substances were used, with catastrophic consequences to women’s health. In the early 60’s SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS were created as a way to contain silicone within the breasts. HOWEVER, all Breast Implants have ‘gel bleed’ and ALL eventually FAIL leaving women vulnerable to silicone migrating to lymph nodes, surrounding tissue and distant places, including VITAL ORGANS.
Each new tweak to Breast Implants has been spun to consumers as making implants safer, but has been just one more experiment using women as lab rats. The tweaks invariably presented new complications, some potentially fatal as in the instance of Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, which is linked to ‘textured’ implants. One can be sure that women have died from cancers caused by chemicals used in implants and migrated silicone throughout the history of breast augmentation.
INJECTING SILICONE DIRECTLY INTO BREASTS IS BANNED because of the known consequence to health and mortality. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE on impact to health and mortality when silicone from Breast Implants ‘bleeds’ or migrates into the lymph system or other parts of the body.
For nearly SEVEN DECADES women who have been used as HUMAN GUINEA PIGS have been swept under the carpet as they’ve become ill, or died. Just as the tobacco and asbestos industries denied the harm being done. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE between them. THE INDISPUTABLE TRUTH WILL BE REVEALED.
If someone were to make a factual movie about the history of the Breast Implant industry it would play as a psycho-thriller that would seem to fantastical to be based on reality. The level of corruption, deception and greed is blood chilling.
Women being sold on Breast Implants as being ‘safe’ might be shocked to know that key founding members of Breast Implant manufacturers have served, or are currently serving JAIL SENTENCES for FRAUDS.
SOME GREAT BOOKS ON THE DARK TRUTH OF BREAST IMPLANTS:
Breast Implants and the D.I.R.T. Committee by: Gail Hamilton
The Boobie Trap by: Barbara Stanistreet
COMMENTS from WOMEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THEIR IMPLANTS – Regarding BI’s and their impact on Health and Mortality – WE ARE THE STUDY RESULTS!
Nicole Daruda (Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole, on Facebook):
– Silicone and saline breast implants have been a multi-generation health and death crisis for women around the world and silicone’s toxicity has been kept hidden by national corporations and government organizations more concerned about making money than the health and well being of it’s citizens and consumers.
– Countless women have died over the years as a direct result of silicone breast implants.
– Silicone, pesticides and chemical weapons of war such as Agent Orange are made by the same chemical company(s) and the reason why is they contain the same ingredients.
Silicone was first tested as a pesticide by Dow Chemical and it is one of the few substances that kills cockroaches quite quickly. At the same time silicone was being tested as pesticide, it was also being tested as a drug that disrupts and manipulates the endocrine system. Since the 60’s the makers of silicone have known of it’s toxicity and it’s negative affects on the human endocrine system but purposely hid this information in order to profit from silicone.
– Silicone is a neurotoxic, cytotoxic and carcinogenic brew of caustic industrial chemicals that shortens life.
– There is no such thing as medical grade silicone. The term medical grade silicone came about only because Dow changed the names on their barrels of silicone, no actual ingredients changed inside the barrel. There are no safe versions of silicone and the toxic chemicals used to make silicone.
– Breast implants are essentially two large bags of toxic chemicals and heavy metals implanted in the chest over fragile organs and glands which leak microscopically from day one and increase their leaking until they are well leaking or ruptured on average 6 to 8 years and most by ten years poisoning countless women.
– Cohesive gel breast implants are by far the most toxic implants manufactured to date. The chemicals and heavy metals used to make the silicone gel cohesive are very aggressive and pass through the shell in a process of Lipolysis poisoning women daily.
Jules Ross:
I truly believe we will never know the true devastation on our overall mortality in this community of women slowly destroyed by breast implants. Most women are still quite young in these groups. In the next decade or so I think it will be more apparent as many women with implants will be going into their later decades 60, 70, 80 and beyond. That’s where the true sadness lies. So many ladies look at right now. It’s sad! They don’t picture their older years, what will be left of their ailing bodies. I know without a doubt if I had not properly explanted the mentor saline implants that were killing me slowly, old age would not have been in the cards for me. If it was I would not be functioning both mentally or physically on any good level. They steal life from us!
Elizabeth Henrickson:
Also the impact those toxic implants will make on their children, family, loved ones. A dying single mother. ….. children that will need help and their mother is helpless
Tali Kentof
It will be interesting to see the long term effects of mold in implants sitting over one’s heart for years…I hope I will be ok, but there are no guarantees when you’ve been exposed so intimately to toxins for such a long extent of time!
Chelsea Fielding
Nancy Pratt – You can count me in. What ever you need to get it out there. As Jules says a lot of the ladies are younger and I was used as a guinea pig by our government body the TGA therefore I have a duty of care to inform and share with as many as possible on the ghastly effects I suffer and my children also
Anonymous
Well here goes…….. CHAPTER ONE. What was I thinking, I had boobs, although after breast feeding 3 babies, they did change somewhat. My surgeon should have suggested a lift. INSTEAD! The money is made with implants, volume not quality, advertising bigger breasts would change us. AND they are good for life……well it sure did change my life for the worst. I took NO prescription drugs before implants. My symptoms were ALL treated with more tests, more medication, more follow up visits, more uneccessary procedures, etc. Over the 35 years, my symptoms grew and so did my private pharmacy of meds. Thyroid, hashimoto, multinodular goitre, Gerd, leaky gut, intestinal problems, choking constantly, breathing problems, plus more. ALL of the toxins slowly leaked into my body, 35 yrs later, I was a mess. I told dr, many times that I felt I was going to die, everything I said he dismissed. ON my patient reports sent to other medical people treating me, he wrote, breast implant augumentation in capital letters. My organs are surrounded by silicone. I did not need a hysterectomy or hernia repair…….silicone was interfering with my natural body process. SILICONE is used to seal around bathtubs, sinks, industrial stuff. It is insane that implant manufacturers are permitted to make killer toxic bags to be implanted into humans, specifically nieve and innocent women who have not been told the truth about the ingredients that are in ALL implants. There are NO safe implants on the market. At age 65. I should be enjoying retirement years, instead I am trying to save my life by explanting these toxic implants, I do not want to take them to my grave. Implant manufacturers MUST close down their operations. The research done is internally, they pay medical people to side with them with big bonuses. Studies on pigs and rabbits are far from medically safe. We need to be treated professionally and honestly by manufacturers. A list of ingredients must be attached to ever implant made. There would be no sales. Women would not be agreeing to insert polyethylene, ink, toxins , poisons , chemicals into their bodies.
Anonymous (woman with symptoms of bia-alcl)
Around 5 years ago I applied for the amazing race. At that time I felt I was extremely fit and could have competed against most. Now it’s a workout just to go up and down my stairs to do laundry. Honestly afraid I’ll fall due to my weak legs. Two years ago could carry two full 5 gallon pails of gravel ( one in each hand) now a gallon of paint seems heavy enough. I honestly fear it’s too late to ever get my old self back. Five years to go downhill this bad. I’m very afraid it’s alcl. And if it is and I have to fail at other treatment options before I’m allowed brentuximab I’ll use a bullet first. I feel I have endured and suffered enough because of these fake boobs that I’m not going to allow them to make me suffer more.
Anonymous (in regard to having felt suicidal to end the suffering)
I have felt that way too … when it took me 2 years to convince the ps to do an exploratory on me and she found the tennis ball sized tumor in my chest …. I had several mri’s and 5 views on xray, and 3 different radiologists looking at them all, and they sat me down and told me there was nothing there, it was all in my head, and I needed to be on an antidepressant….I could feel it in there, it was causing pains up my arm into my neck and down through my fingers, it got so bad I got to where I couldn’t write , and I started dropping things….They make us feel and sound psycho and it makes the people around us also think that …. because the docs say it doesn’t exist ….
Anonymous
yes ma’am you too have done your homework. I sit back now after explant and staying sick after 26 years and hope and pray one or all us ladies will get justice for our losses and illnesses. make my experience worth it and not in vain. Keep Fighting the FDA
Anonymous
Thank you for speaking out on the issue of breast implant safety (the lack thereof). Even though FDA says breast implants are not lifetime devices they go on to say in the same sentence that the longer women have them the more ‘LIKELY’ they will have to have them removed. There’s no ‘likely’ about it .. unless they die first they WILL have to have them removed or replaced. Regulating bodies give such conflicting information .. they do list possible complications, but go on to say that breast implants meet their safety requirements. Even in regard to the impact to children it’s double-speak. They say it’s currently not known if silicone may pass through from the implants to breast milk and that there’s currently no way to accurately test for it, yet they tell women it’s safe to breastfeed. They also say they don’t know the long term consequence of silicone in lymph nodes while many, if not most women, end up with lymph node involvement. That’s a pretty high risk crapshoot. Breast implants have been on the market since the early 60’s yet they still can’t definitively say if silicone gets in breast milk or what happens when it’s in lymph nodes (I have it in my lymph nodes). The fact that silicone ends up in our lymph system is reason to ban them outright, IMHO.
* The list of comments could be endless as every day women speak of how seriously ill their implants have made them. Women comment virtually every day that they feel like they’re dying, and without breast implant removal many surely would die *
THE ROLE OF REGULATORY BODIES AND HOW THEY’RE FAILING TO PROTECT WOMEN
BREAST IMPLANTS ARE ASSIGNED THE HIGHEST RISK RATING BY REGULATING BODIES, YET … THERE IS NO STANDARD PROTOCOL IN PLACE FOR DIAGNOSING OR TREATING BREAST IMPLANT RELATED ILLNESS AND DEVICE FAILURE, and RELATIVELY FEW DOCTORS ARE TRAINED TO PROPERLY REMOVE IMPLANTS
From hidden adverse events reports to the refusal to disclose ingredients in breast implants regulators protect manufacturer interests. Regulatory bodies globally have acted as agents of manufacturers vs champions of patient safety. Profit over safety vs safety over profit.
NANCY PRATT (Breast Implant Failure & Illness – Canada, on Facebook): “I have zero doubt that countless women have died from issues both directly, and indirectly related to Breast Implants; and I have zero doubt that regulating bodies have known since the beginning.”
Below: From the 2018 Memorial blog post:
** Ultimately, IMHO burden lies squarely on regulatory bodies that are failing to protect women in licensing such high risk devices without a standard safety protocol in place and without FULL DISCLOSURE. And through licensing them though there are great failures in the regulatory system. And despite that critical safety data is missing. **
Regulatory bodies are protected from being sued by women harmed by their implants. Current legislation protects regulators and manufacturers, while NOT protecting consumers.
When it comes to Breast Implants all parties, EXCEPT the women being harmed by them, are protected.
PATIENT ADVOCATES LOBBY FOR CHANGE AT FDA – BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF 2018-2019:
FDA MEETING – September 5, 2018
Photo above: A group of 20 advocates presented to FDA on September 5, 2018
Meeting organizer, Jamee Bramlett Cook, wrote of the meeting objective: “We had several things that we are asking the FDA to do now. This included a patient checklist to warn women about BIA-ALCL and illness related to breast implants; we asked for chemical transparency in the ingredients used in these devices; we asked for better public awareness and physician education on BIA-ALCL; we asked for textured implants to be removed from the market; lastly (and primarily), we asked for an Advisory Committee Panel meeting on breast implant issues.”
Their efforts led to FDA holding two days of meetings in March 2019:
On September 18, 2018, FDA issued a press release announcing a public meeting in 2019.
“In light of the growing science regarding the benefits and risks of breast implants, we intend to hold a public meeting of the General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of our Medical Devices Advisory Committee in 2019 to ensure that patients and health care providers continue to have accurate, scientifically sound information about breast implant safety and effectiveness, and to promote public dialogue on the issue.”
From Chandra Dealassandro, of B.I.V.A., regarding the FDA announcement:
“Never GIVE UP! … **After three meetings with the FDA, rally in DC, continued trips to Washington, Congressional meetings, Conferences, social media storm, legal cases, awareness, interviews, articles, the list goes on…
WOMEN’S VOICES ARE BEING HEARD!** #BIAALCL #BII#womenhealthmatters #BIVA
Thank you Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro, Diana Zuckerman, Madris Layne Tomes, Essure Problems, The Bleeding Edge and all of our amazing advocates!
On April 25, 2019 FDA announced the meeting details:
“SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee. The general function of the committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Agency on FDA’s regulatory issues. The meeting will be open to the public.”
Meeting dates: March 25 & March 26, 2019
Jamee Bramlett Cook, co-founding member ‘Breast Implant Victim Advocacy’ (B.I.V.A.) was instrumental in organizing patient advocates attending the meetings.
From Nicole Daruda, Founder of a Facebook group with nearly 95,000 members ‘Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole’ AND the website ‘Healing Breast Implant Illness’:
“Over 70 women from the breast implant illness community travelled long distance at their own expense to share their experiences of profound ill-health effects from breast implants first hand, speaking directly in 5-minute speeches to panel members of the FDA; and witnessed by hundreds of stakeholders such as manufacturers, plastic surgery associations and plastic surgeons. These women shared the same stories of symptoms and illness, misdiagnoses and reports to the FDA that were hidden or minimized.”
“On the first day of the FDA meetings, the FDA announced that it had hidden 350,000 adverse event reports which was bittersweet for these women.”
Approximately 32 of the patient advocates in attendance spoke.
Sybil Niden Goldrich and Laura Gustafson-Bowden, both long-time advocates, presented to the panel, tying together generations of women harmed by breast implants.
Photo: Sybil Goldrich and Laura Gustafson-Bowden
Breast Implant Victim Advocacy: https://www.facebook.com/breastimplantvictimadvocacy/
Breast Implant Healing and Illness by Nicole: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Healingbreastimplantillness/?ref=group_header
Healing Breast Implant Illness:
https://healingbreastimplantillness.com
Presenters are listed on the FDA website page announcing the meetings:
https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/march-25-26-2019-general-and-plastic-surgery-devices-panel-medical-devices-advisory-committee
Video Links to various presenters (YouTube):
Prof. J.W. Cohen Tervaert FDA meeting breast implants March 25th 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QwMOoHhPKw
Dr. Mark Clemens FDA meeting breast implants ALCL, March 25th 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn40QbozNxU
Dr. Diana Zuckerman FDA meeting breast implants March 25th 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo4CfFwnn3M
Jamee Bramlett Cook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9kvMs-d-yQ&t=1094s&fbclid=IwAR1SeP4fcq39mHJlQfa8gv2nCltj0zAQCbvq_ykKxYIGpDmzq1BtIlzukDE
Julie Elliot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jj6bpbtFLg
Terri McGregor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQpr1GT9y90&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3SOyl6p7k4ybubNibNk1lSCzfhje4VI4b7T8TCfVHVBhEJml7ojafDwpQ
Julie and Bill Lykins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AUBoHS6QGE
Jennifer Irvine Robb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-51k-v1Ze10
Dawn Criss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STKYzXrms1U&fbclid=IwAR1sCtFKSSZiNcjXXI0SQHfnECBHx3BpK11WLoO8YqUROXV0iYvtD3ESmRQ&app=desktop
Sybil Goldrich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2BdBPbB0TI&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2-76wuJB00EOSjPtdjpiD25AZRSv4TOWkgrLgMQJ-so2DCIg_x-aG6uZ8
Laura Gustafson-Bowden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIDlMg_XkXo
Nicole Daruda
https://www.facebook.com/kim.barden/videos/10157656339690476/UzpfSTEwMDAxMjk5NzM4NTU3MTpWSzoxMTE4OTA3MzY0OTgyNzEy/?multi_permalinks=1118907364982712¬if_id=1568202194448599¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic_tagged
____________________________________________________________________________________________
ON THIS DAY 2017: DC RALLY
There was a rally in DC on this day, September 25, 2017 calling for changes that will protect consumers.
Medical Device Safety Act Aims To Restore Rights To Patients Harmed
On September 25, 2017, ASHES nonprofit hosted a rally in Washington D.C. in support of the Medical Device Safety Act. Administrators of the Essure Problems Group and the Breast Implant Victim Advocacy Group organized the event. The rally took place on Capitol Hill Grounds. The group wore red shirts to show solidarity and support for the bill. The coalition came together with the co-sponsors of the bill, The Medical Device Safety Act H.R. 2164, for a congressional press conference.
The Medical Device Safety Act was introduced in the house on April 26, 2017 by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick. It is a bi-partisan bill currently co-sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. The bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to liability under State and local requirements respecting all Class III devices, including, but not limited to, the essure device, hip implants, pacemakers, surgical mesh, defibrillators, nerve stimulators, and breast implants.
There are over 157 Class III medical devices on the market in the USA. Manufacturers of Class III medical devices currently enjoy federal preemption protection. (To read the full press release please click on the link .. )
____________________________________________________________________________________________
LINKS TO ONLINE STORIES – Women who died from breast augmentation surgery or complications from having breast implants: (Please note: Many of these sites have annoying pop-ups.)
Sol Arbach
2. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/laura-avila-dead-today-2018-11-25/
Laura Avila
3. http://www.worldwideweirdnews.com/2017/06/12-woman-dead-breast-implants.html
Janelle Edwards
Kerry Elia
Paige Goldup
6. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-who-died-after-boob-13659978
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-46386527
Louise Harvey
Jean Huang
8. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/03/20/sonia-perez-llanzon-dies-vaseline-breasts_n_4999990.html
Sonia Perez Llanzon
Galina Rakushina
10. https://www.thelocal.de/20110121/32577
Sexy Cora
11. https://www.asiaone.com/health/chinese-model-25-dies-during-breast-augmentation-surgery
Ting Ting
12. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/evewoman/article/2001284079/the-moving-story-of-
June Wanza
____________________________________________________________________________________________
FOR ALL WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED SINCE BREAST IMPLANTS AND INJECTABLE SUBSTANCES HAVE BEEN USED TO AUGMENT BREAST SIZE …
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR FALLEN ANGELS
If there is anyone you would like added to this Memorial please send their name, photo, birth and death date, and a few details of their story via email: breastimplantfailure@gmail.com
Thank you to ALL who shared stories and information.
**Special thanks to Gail Hamilton for creating the memorial logo photo**
**Special thanks to Dede Graham for all the help and support**
**Special thanks to Ed Brent for sharing his wife, PJ Brent’s, story. Our bii community is grieving the loss of too many of our sisters that took their own life to end their suffering. The issue of suicide with breast implants needs to be openly discussed and not swept under the carpet. It is a risk with breast implants and should be acknowledged**
**Special thanks to Rosanna Smith (Rosie) for generously allowing me to use information from her website, where she had her own wonderful memorial tribute to sister’s that have lost their lives after having breast implants. Rosie, of Florida, worked as a volunteer since 1993-2018 and has supported countless women on their journey toward healing. Rosie is in ill-health so has had to close her website: Implant~Info~Net.**
**We wish to extend remembrance to ALL who have lost their life after having any IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE. We stand collectively in solidarity with victims of implantable medical devices and their advocacy movements.**
Breast Implant Failure & Illness 
2 thoughts on “Remembering Fallen Angels of Breast Implant Illness SEPTEMBER 25, 2019”
Andrea Draper
Couldn’t get out of bed today cuz of pain/weakness/pouring sweat/freezing cold. My Mom & Sister say I’m obsessive & have stopped talking to me cuz of my behavior. I want out but know if I kill myself I’ll just wind up in an alt universe going thru exactly what I killed myself to escape from. I want explant but am scared to death I’ll get “the wrong surgeon” & go thru even more sh#t cuz the capsulectomy was done wrong. I’m so sick. Goddess help me!!!!!!!!!
motherima
Andrea, I’ve just seen your message. I’m sorry you’re struggling so deeply. If you want you’re welcome to connect with me either on Facebook or via email. Sending you big, big hugs. You’re not alone, hon .. even if it feels like you are. It’s even harder when the people we love give up on us, or think there’s nothing wrong with us. In fairness to them, its something that unless you’ve experienced it personally it is really hard to understand. I hope you’ll message me. Hang in there .. you can do it.