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Forfurther information call or visit Ninth Line at Dundas St., Oakville Soonsor Official Media Sponsor 905-257-1100 www .glenoaks.ca Editor: Wilma Blokhuis Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 250) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: blokhuis@haltonsearch.com Living with a bloody legacy Man infected with Hepatitis C 17 years ago By Wilma Blokhuis B E A V E R F O C U S E D IT O R Fighting for compensation By Wilma Blokhuis B E A V E R F O C U S ED ITO R The gift o f life has become a death sentence for Daryl Thomson. The 33-year-old Oakville man was infected with Hepatitis C through a blood transfusion 17 years ago. At first it went undetected. It wasn't until four years ago that he learned he was infected with Hepatitis C. Thomson said he began suffering from the ill effects of Hepatitis C about four years ago --con stant fatigue, mild depression, and water retention inside his stomach and on his legs and ankles. "I was tested previously, but because the earli er testing was not as accurate as today's, the Hepatitis C didn't show up." Thomson received the transfusion o f tainted blood on or near his sixteenth birthday in February 1985. His problems began at an early age. "When I was 12 years old, I started suffering from a lot of sore throats and colds, and the doc tors couldn't figure it out." It was found he had an enlarged spleen. He underwent surgery to remove the diseased organ. This required two surgeries and in between, he received the first of many blood transfusions after that first surgery. Later, it was discovered his liver wasn't func tioning properly. `Tw o to three years later I started having inter nal bleeding from my esophagus. It was bleeding into my stomach," he said. "It happened to me at home a couple o f times and at school once and once when I was up north fishing. I had to be flown to Toronto. I was pass ing out and sick to my stomach. I was given a lot of blood because of losing so much blood." Later, when he was 19 or 20, he was told the liver disease he initially suffered from was Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. "At first there was no name for it, people were told they suf fered from something that can lead to colon can cer and other serious illnesses." During the 1980s, Thomson received about 50 blood transfusions, "and it is believed they traced the Hepatitis C to a blood transfusion I got in February 1985. They traced it back to a donor who tested positive 10 to 12 years later." John Plater, a Toronto lawyer who represents Thomson, and a number of other Hepatitis C vic tims, said there is a possibility that Thomson may have received more than one unit of tainted blood. "It's not known for sure when he was infected. That particular donor tested positive and we can make the assumption that was the cause as Thomson received blood from that person," said Plater, "but we're not 100% sure." What is known for sure is that Thomson became infected through blood transfusion. "I've never used IV (intravenous) drugs, I've never had unprotected sex, and I don't have any tattoos," he said. A year ago Thomson become so ill that he was Daryl Thomson is on the outside looking in. The 33-year-old Hepatitis C victim is not eligi ble for federal compensation because he was infected before 1986. It is believed he was infected by a blood transfusion in 1985. Unable to work and receiving a disability pen sion, Thomson `went public' with his suffering in hopes of convincing the federal government to open its compensation package for Hepatitis C vic tims infected through blood transfusions to include people like himself - people who were infected prior to 1986. Currently, those infected between 1986 and 1990 could benefit from the $1.2 billion the gov ernment set aside in 1998 for compensation money to cover loss of income and medical expenses. O f the 15,000 victims who are eligible for fed eral compensation, fewer than 3,000 have come forward, hence $900 million of the money has not been given out, said Thomson's lawyer John Plater of Toronto. (Plater, a hemophiliac who was also infected with Hepatitis C from tainted blood, was eligible for compensation.) Plater expects some 6,500 people will file claims "at a high end estimate." That should leave enough money to open the compensation to those who were infected prior to 1986, he said. Thomson applied to the program on his own last year - "my doctor has written a letter" - and he was refused. "I fall a full 10 months outside of that window and have gotten nowhere," he said, adding he con tacted Oakville MP Bonnie Brown and retained Plater as his lawyer. Thomson is in the process of writing a letter to Brown asking about the possibility for compensa tion. buoyed by the fact her Oakville constituency office is very familiar with his case and has a file about his situation. "The Liberal government does not want to com pensate all of the victims," Thomson said. "They have (only) compensated a few people that did qualify for the 1986-1990 plan." There are six levels of compensation, from the first level of a lump sum payment o f $1,000 if you test positive up to the sixth level for total coverage including a lump sum of over $100,000 plus all Barrie Erskine* Oakville Beaver medical expenses and loss of income. Daryl Thomson, 33, is suffering from Hepatitis C and fighting for federal compensation. "In my case that would come to quite a bit of money," said Thomson. placed on the liver transplant list. "I was in rough For Thomson, becoming ill with Hepatitis C He did receive some compensation from the shape. I was really, really ill." was a "double whammy. I was already suffering Canadian Red Cross Society and the provincial He received a blood transfusion - his last to from a liver disease. Now I've got two diseases." government, "but that's peanuts compared to the date. Up until last year, Thomson was a steelworker federal compensation if you qualify. Today, feeling better, but weakened from the making nuts and bolts for the automotive indus "It remains to be seen if the federal government disease, he's been taken off the list after learning try, a job he described as "physical work." will open the program to include the years 1980 to about the possible unpleasant outcome. Now too ill to work, he's collecting long term 1990," continued Thomson. "I can't see them put "I don't want to take that kind of risk now. disability and his medical costs are covered by ting any more money aside, but I think there is a lot "A new liver won't do me much good, as it OHIP and "a good benefits program from my job of call to ensure everybody gets compensated." too will become infected," he said. However, if which runs out after one to two years. In the United States, regulators had required the his health deteriorates further, Thomson's name "For me right now, doing any kind of work is people collecting blood to use what they call surro will be added to the transplant list with the snap difficult. I have trouble concentrating. I get con gate tests for Hepatitis C for a number of years, of a finger. fused. Toxins are building up in my liver and are explained Plater. "A transplant is not a cure. But, it will help ending up in brain causing fatigue, headaches, (S ee `C om pensate' page B3) keep me alive for another 10 to 20 years." confusion and mild depression." Hosting dinners to eradicate landmines By Wilma Blokhuis B E A V E R F O C U S E D IT O R Last year, Verna Andrews served chicken korma. saffron rice, spiced chick peas, asparagus and ham, mango with yogurt cream, chocolate eclairs and Bavarian apple tarts - among other delights - to about 25 appreciative guests. As a host for Night of a Thousand Dinners, Andrews selected a menu from the Afghanistan Pakistan border, "and adopted it with an English flavour." Initially, she planned to invite eight friends. "I encouraged my fellow Rotarians to host dinners and invite their friends and neighbours," she said. "There were about six members who wanted to host and about 20 who wanted to be invited to attend a dinner. So, the six hosts divid ed the guests between them, so everyone was involved." Andrews belongs to the Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar, which adopted a minefield in Cambodia two years ago. "We raised $12,000 to $13,000 which was matched by CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency)," she said. Last year, the club raised money to clear a minefield in BosniaHerzegovina. This year, five club members - including Andrews - are hosting dinners on Thursday aim ing to raise $80,000 to clear a large minefield. "We'll select a field in one of the most heavily mined countries worldwide," said Andrews, not ing that list includes Afghanistan, Croatia, Mozambique and as o f this year, Vietnam, in addition to Cambodia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Money raised from Night of a Thousand Dinners goes to the Canadian Landmine Foundation, founded by Frank O 'Dea, formerly o f Oakville. Andrews recently attended a Rotary confer ence in Seattle, Washington, dealing with eradica tion of landmines. The conference put forward a resolution to Rotary International to adopt Landmine Action as a significant Rotary initiative and to create a task force. The U.S. State Department paid for her trip. Andrews became involved with the landmine issue in 1999 after meeting O 'Dea at an International Youth Activism Conference where she was the keynote speaker. The following year, she became involved with the Canadian Landmine Foundation's Adopt a Minefield program, and last year she hosted her first Night of a Thousand Dinners event. At Night of a Thousand Dinners-events, "every penny goes entirely to landmine clear ance," said Andrews. Income tax receipts are issued for the full amounts donated by guests. Administration costs for Night of a Thousand Dinners is covered by the Better World Fund, cre ated by American businessman and philanthro pist, R. E. (Ted) Turner (of CNN fame), as part of his historic $1 billion gift to support United Nations causes, she added. Last year, Night of a Thousand Dinners raised $1.5 million in 35 countries worldwide. That was enough money to adopt 12 minefields, sponsor five Afghan de-mining teams for 28 months, plus support a mine action team in Vietnam for a year. Andrews has been speaking to various Rotary Clubs encouraging members to host dinners or attend one. "Every Rotarian can play a major role by `rid ding the world of landmines one meal at a time," ' said Andrews quoting Rotary's slogan for its Barrie Erskine* Oakville Beaver Verna Andrews prepares vegetables for her Night of a Thousand Dinners gathering at her home tomorrow night. endorsement of Night of a Thousand Dinners. "In addition to Rotary's quest to eradicate polio from the face of the earth by the year 2005, Rotary is also concerned about the tens of thou sands of people each year that are killed or crip pled by landmines ... that are left behind after military conflict. "It is unfair that refugees cannot return home after a conflict without the threat of death or injury. Every 28 minutes a landmine will take another victim, mostly children, until we decide to end this tragedy." Landmines cost as little as $3 each to manu facture, and up to $1,000 to remove from the ground. A Night of a Thousand Dinners event can be anything from a $10 pizza party - such as the one to be hosted by Amnesty International at Munn's United Church - to lavish affairs with live enter tainment including the $150 a plate gala being hosted at RattleSnake Point Golf Club. Andrews, who is a member of St. Jude's Anglican Church, has encouraged its Sunday School to host Day of a Thousand Brunches. About three or four church members are also hosting dinners, she said. "At its simplest, Night of a Thousand Dinners is about holding private dinner parties in individ ual's homes," she said, noting these events can range from potluck dinners to beer and pizza nights, a gourmet feast, brunch, a wine tasting evening or a chocolate party. Sean O 'Dea is hosting a catered affair, and expects to have about 40 guests - double the number he hosted last year - scattered at cafe tables throughout his house. (He is the brother of Frank O 'Dea.) "The enthusiasm to attend a dinner seems to be higher this year," said O 'Dea. "I had 20 guests last year, and felt we could increased the guest list by 10, but we ended up with 40." Recording artist Jay Vetro will donate his time to entertain guests. O 'Dea believes there will be about 15 - 20 dinners held across Oakville. Mayor Ann Mulvale has declared Dec. 5 Landmine Eradication Day in Oakville.