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Name:	Stan Davis
City:	Brooklyn State: NY
Country:
Email:	zapnzoom@aol.com
Comments:	Last week, my wife and I watched the PBS/Frontline documentary on Endocrine Disruptors, "Fooling With Nature." In our subsequent web searches on this subject, we were brought here. Perhaps someone reading these comments will be able to help us in our quest for some relief. *************************************** I'm a DES son born in 1953. I have had serious immunological disorders since birth that became increasingly disabling when I reached the age of 24. I am allergic to just about everything, have inflammatory bowel disease-like symptoms, arthritis, CNS depression, digestive disfunction throughout the alimentary canal, low sperm count, and low testosterone and thyroid levels. From the time of my birth, I have suffered immunological problems, always undiagnosed and/or unattributed. Today, I am unable to work, unable to collect disability, and unable to find a physician or therapy that can improve the quality of my life. Recently, without any knowledge of the fact that DES was an Endocrine Disruptor, my wife and I felt that there might be some link between my endocrine system and my disabling symptoms, but I am unable to find a doctor willing to explore this. Ergo, when we saw "Fooling With Nature," we were heartened to find some validating theory. Can someone here suggest where to go/who to see or speak with to follow-up on our search for some relief. Sincerely, Stan Davis Brooklyn, NY zapnzoom@aol.com

Name:	kathryn Lucas
City:	springwood State: qld
Country:	Australia
Email:	plucas@powerup.com.au
Comments:	I watched the program last night here in Australia. I suspec that my mother took des. She is dead now from lung/ brain cancer. My brother died from testicular cancer. I want to find out if she took des. She told me years ago she was given tablets to prevent misscarriage. There is not much info here in Australia on des.

Name:	Melodie C. Smith
City:	Phoenix State: AZ
Country:	USA
Email:	Mellie.IXOYE@Juno.Com
Comments:	I am a third generation DES victim. Until this week this meant nothing to me. I have been struggling with infertility for almost 2 years and had an early miscarriage over a year ago. I have Cervical Cystitus, and an abnormality of my cervix that my doctor says is related to DES. My mother didn't take DES, but we believe that her mother did because of her gyn. history. Is there any way that what I am experiencing is related to DES? My doc. says no because my mother didn't take DES. I need answers please!!!

Name:	Mark Pesce
City:	Santa Monica State: CA
Country:	USA
Comments:	Judith's film was moving and beautiful...as the first child - born just a few months before Judith - my mother wasn't given DES, but I wonder what would have happened if she'd miscarried before she gave birth to me... Thank you for a beautiful and meaningful film.

Name:	Jonathan Wind Skurnik
City:	Brooklyn State: NY
Country:
Email:	skurnik@idt.net
Comments:	Judith's film was a near-perfect combination of the personal and the political. How horribly ironic that her mother's thyroid medicine is made be Elly Lilly, the same company that made her DES! Thank you so much for compassionately, artictically and fiercely advocating for a toxics free world!

Name:	Ruth Belovicz Roazen
City:	Wilmington State: NC
Country:
Email:	Beloviczr@uncwil.edu
Comments:	I want to thank Judy for doing this film. I saw it after a particularily bad experience with an OB/GYN, who was not providing me good health care. Seeing the film, prodded me into finding a doctor who would do a complete des exam, and who would evaluate endocrine and fertility problems. While watching the film I went from scared to furious, and I am much better at getting good health care and taking action when I'm mad. I hope that other des daughters were spurred to evalate the care they are getting and demand the care they deserve after seeing Judy's excellent, touching, informative film. Thanks, Ruth

Name:	Robin Hertzberg
City:	Voorhees State: NJ
Country:	USA
Email:	rhertzberg@juno.com
Comments:	I too am a DES daughter. When I first learned of my exposure- twenty years ago, I remember hanging on to my mother's words, that 'G-d doesn't close a door without opening a window...' Knowing what we do today about this drug, it seems irreverent to mention G-d and Eli Lilly in the same breath,but she was trying to give me hope during a difficult pregnancy. Despite reproductive tract anomalies, I was fortunate to deliver two daughters (albeit prematurely) and- haven't yet developed CCA. However, I've since lost my mother to Ovarian Cancer and strongly suspect a 3rd generation link to the congenital defect my older daughter was born with. I applaud Ms. Helfand's courage in publicizing/politicizing her personal tragedy on camera; hoping that her triumph encourages more of us to share our stories and those that can - to file product liability suits against the drugs' manufacturers. While I am sure Judith's film project was cathartic for her in many ways, it needs to be impressed upon the public that there are millions more DES victims out there. Their tragedies beg that research funds be allocated to study the drugs' long term effects and alleviate our concerns for our future health and well being. You may not be able to see our internal deformities, but emotionally and physically the devastation can be quite complete! How much more respect would we have for the drug companies, if collectively they apportioned some part of the huge profits they rake in - and helped us finance DES research... Thanks again to Judith Helfand for a poignant and tearful story, well-told.

Name:	Robin Hertzberg
City:	Voorhees State: NJ
Country:	USA
Email:	rhertzberg@juno.com
Comments:	I too am a DES daughter. When I first learned of my exposure- twenty years ago, I remember hanging on to my mother's words, that 'G-d doesn't close a door without opening a window...' Knowing what we do today about this drug, it seems irreverent to mention G-d and Eli Lilly in the same breath,but she was trying to give me hope during a difficult pregnancy. Despite reproductive tract anomalies, I was fortunate to deliver two daughters (albeit prematurely) and- haven't yet developed CCA. However, I've since lost my mother to Ovarian Cancer and strongly suspect a 3rd generation link to the congenital defect my older daughter was born with. I applaud Ms. Helfand's courage in publicizing/politicizing her personal tragedy on camera; hoping that her triumph encourages more of us to share our stories and those that can - to file product liability suits against the drugs' manufacturers. While I am sure Judith's film project was cathartic for her in many ways, it needs to be impressed upon the public that there are millions more DES victims out there. Their tragedies beg that research funds be allocated to study the drugs' long term effects and alleviate our concerns for our future health and well being. You may not be able to see our internal deformities, but emotionally and physically the devastation can be quite complete! How much more respect would we have for the drug companies, if collectively they apportioned some part of the huge profits they rake in - and helped us finance DES research... Thanks again to Judith Helfand for a poignant and tearful story, well-told.

Name:	Lisa Moore
City:	Ottawa State: ON
Country:	Canada
Email:	lisa.moore@sympatico.ca
Comments:	I am a DES daughter born in 1964. My sister was also exposed in 1967. We have both been very lucky in that we haven't had any fertility problems. However I have autoimmune diseases and at age 33 am experiecing perimenopase symptoms. I would like to thank Judith for bringing this issue to the public. I found that her comment about her eggs containing DES very pertinent. I have a 2 1/2 year old son who has allergies and delayed speech development. I often wonder if it has anything to do with being 3rd generation DES exposed. I would like to see research done in this area.

Name:	Diane Casteel
City:	New Llano State: LA
Country:	USA
Email:	johnc@dtx.net
Comments:	I was deeply touched by Judith's bravery and determination in making this extremely personal documentary. Words cannot express my admiration for her strength and compassion for others at such a devastating time in her life. I cried with her. I laughed with her. I rejoice in her survival. Mr. and Mrs. Helfund, thank you for Judith. Judith, Thanks for sharing your Point of View with us.

Name:	Lee Ann Young
City:	Dallas State: TX
Country:	USA
Email:	layoung@airmail.net
Comments:	This was a great show. I was really tired that night and thought about not watching POV since it comes on at 11 PM here. Also, I thought that I already knew about DES. I'm so glad that I watched it. For all these years, even when I had learned about the cancer link to DES, I had also thought that the drug was prescribed because the mothers would miscarriage. I did not know that just like cigarettes, the pharmaceutical manufacturers had known all along that it was toxic and carcinogenic and also ineffective exactly on that for which it was prescribed--miscarriage. It was almost like they had a stockpile and had to create a need so the drug could make money. Or that they had discovered this chemical and went in search of a reason to sell it. I did not feel very hopeful at the end. Personally I think that even one woman getting cancer or having all the surgeries to try and stop the cancer is too much. But when I listened to the percentages and translated that into numbers, I could just hear the politicians, the managed care companies, and the pharmaceutical companies saying that it does not affect very many people, so sorry but research dollars have to go to bigger causes. One of the questions at the end was how does it affect men? Do you have an answer? Where do I look for the answer? I still think there are a lot of sexist politics. Maybe if you present the male effects, more of the politicians will pay attention and appropriate money. (Of course that has not really helped with service-related toxins and payment by the VA.) I also do not remember--did you say that this drug continued to be sold overseas after it was stopped here? Another scandel on the third world? Thank you for a thought-provoking show.

Name:	Amy Keyishian
City:	Brooklyn State: NY
Country:	USA
Email:	amy@cyberpalate.com
Comments:	I was so, so moved by A Healthy Baby Girl. I think Judy is so brave and cool and her family is so loving and supportive. Wow! I thought it was really intense when the guy who was putting the aluminum siding on the house just happened to have a girlfriend who was also a DES baby. I just want to ask a representative of the pharmaceutical company why? I know that sounds naive: why? for money, of course. But I'd still like to see one of them in a small room with Morley Safer struggling to come up with an acceptable answer. Also I loved the part where the mom has the wires on her head and says, "The umbilical cord." She reminds me of my mom. Judy, please stay healthy, I think the world would be a much poorer place without you. P.S. aren't the Klezmatics AWESOME?

Name:	Robyn Brown
City:	Kaunakakai State: HI
Country:	USA
Email:	Kakela@aloha.net
Comments:	I am a DES daughter and have also had numerous reproductive problems. I am wondering if there is anyone who is taking legal action against the pharmacuticals? I would be interested in hearing from someone who has information on this.

Name:	Jesse the K
City:	Madison State: WI
Country:
Email:	jesse@mailbag.com
Comments:	I thought this was a wonderful film. On a personal level, I cried a lot. Helfand's mom looked a lot like mine, and I regret the conversations we never had. On a medical level, I realized that there really is no way to know what the future holds. We will move into that future together, sharing what info we gather along the way. It can't be "the" film abt this topic -- no more than there can be a single film about cancer, or a single film about disability, or about IVF, or any topic that involves the personal, the political, capitalism, marketing and a mother's terror. It's important for different voices to be heard, and I would *love* to see an informational video from DES Cancer Network as well as a "we fought and we won" video with step-by-step from the lawyers. Also a "this is how to do an excellent DES gyn exam" how-to video, which we can both watch and lend to our doctors. Not to mention a "mothers and daughters respond" video that would be just talking heads, something we could share with our parents. We must not let the meager attention afforded DES by the "mainstream" press force us to attempt to squeeze all we want heard into one film. So, I didn't exactly *enjoy* the movie, but I liked it a lot.

Name:	Birch Early
City:	Oakland State: CA
Country:	USA
Email:	learly@xenergy.com
Comments:	I was very moved by this documentary. While Judith's family was described as "the typical american family" I was, in fact, struck by their honesty, intimacy and courage. If only these qualities were typical of the average American family. Their story brought home the fact that we are all being assaulted on a daily level by the numerous toxins, chemicals, and additives with unknown consequences and sometimes outright deception. Good luck to us all...

Name:	Kelli Lowry
City:	Hammond State: LA
Country:	USA
Email:	dweebcontrol@hotmail.com
Comments:	I am a DES daughter in possession of my mother's records as to when she was given this drug. I have had major reproductive problems and cannot find any doctor to take this DES information seriously. I am greatly concerned about any repercussions that may affect my children or my health in the future. Any feedback would be welcomed. (Yes, the email addy is real and it works, we're in the process of moving and I'm not sure if our account will be with the same ISP.) Thank you for your time and attention in reading this post.

Name:	Barry Madore
City:	St. Paul State: MN
Country:	US
Email:	Barry_Madore@itvs.pbs.org
URL:	http://www.itvs.org
Comments:	I'm a 30 year old DES son who has sister age 28 who was DES exposed in utero, and other sister, age 25 who was not exposed in utero but has developed early signs of cancer similar to the known DES caused cancers. I've known about Judith's project for 5 years now and it has been a constant source of inspiration and information. I have now shown the program to my mother (who has now, finally, rejoined the DES awareness groups -- see the resources section of the website) and my two sisters. It has enabled us to have important discussions that would never otherwise have occurred. My sisters are now fully informed and have been having the proper exams. I want to thank Judith for having the courage, insight, and talent to produce A Healthy Baby Girl. I think her tireless commitment not only to the telling of her family's story, but to the issues related to toxic exposure and the environment, is more than an inspiration; it has generated a wellspring of support and activism nationwide. Thanks Judith, and your family, for your courage, humor, and dedication. And congratulations for the wonderful debut broadcast of your program.

Name:	Gene Weisskopf
City:	Richland State: WA
Country:	USA
Email:	genew@owt.com
Comments:	This was a very effective documentary that cut right to the bone of the subject. Judith Helfand's "amateur" video style effectively elevated this story far above what could have been just another modern science vs. nature horror story. A wonderful example of how successful a television documentary can be. Gene Weisskopf Richland, WA

Name:	Bonnie Carasso
City:	San Rafael State: CA
Country:
Email:	bonnie@carasso.com
Comments:	As the mother of a new baby, I realize the that I too would want to do what ever it took to prevent the loss of my child, whether that would be taking a drug to help insure the health of my unborn child or to inform them of the risk and possible exposure to a lethal drug. Thank you for the wonderful film. Thank you for the continued advocacy. (I'm calling my mother in the morning.)

Name:	Moe Walters
City:	Lakeville State: MA
Country:	usa
Email:	moe@ultranet.com
URL:	http://ultranet.com/~moe
Comments:	A moving and important story...please tell me that Ms. Helfand is well and continues to produce..a major contribution...

Name:	Anonymous Male
City:	Fairfield State: CT
Country:
Comments:	I am a DES son who has been problem free up to now. Are there any ongoing research studies or registries for males exposed in utero?

Name:	Nicki Prete
City:	Washington, DC State:
Country:
Comments:	As a DES daughter, I am happy to see that this program is going to be shown. I think that the public needs to realize what these pharmaceutical companies have done and how it has affected so many families.

Name:	Nicki Prete
City:	Washington, DC State:
Country:
Comments:	As a DES daughter, I am happy to see that this program is going to be shown. I think that the public needs to realize what these pharmaceutical companies have done and how it has affected so many families.

Name:	Nicki Prete
City:	Washington State: DC
Country:
Comments:	As a DES daughter, I am happy to see that this program is going to be shown. I think that the public needs to realize what these pharmaceutical companies have done and how it has affected so many families.

Name:	Mark Rosenstein
City:	Cambridge State: MA
Country:
Email:	mar@actwin.com
URL:	http://www.actwin.com/mar
Comments:	I haven't seen this show, but the web site makes it sound interesting. I'll have to check it out. And ask my Mom if she ever took DES.