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DOW CORNING WINS NAVY FUNDS FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Dow Corning has been developing SiC technology since 2003, when it acquired the company SiC pioneer Sterling Semiconductor Inc. SiC technology uses a man-made silicon and carbon compound with unique thermal and electrical properties as a substrate. SiC technology is becoming increasingly important in the development of new high-frequency and more-efficient high-power electronics products. E.g. advanced radar systems, cell phone base stations and power grid networks. On 12 December 2007 Dow Corning Compound Semiconductor Solutions (DCCSS) was awarded a $4.2 million contract from the U.S. Office of Naval Research to develop semiconductor silicon carbide (SiC) materials technology. Dow Corning Compound Semiconductor Solutions Chief Scientist Mark Loboda: "This program provides an ideal platform for government, leading academic research institutions and commercial organizations to collaborate and share resources to improve this promising technology".
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THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF ASPRS
In 1982/1983 the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASPRS) invested millions in an advertising campaign to publicize breast implants as "essential to women's mental health", small breasts were "deformities" and an increase in breast size would also increase a woman's self-esteem. On 3 January 2008 the American Society of Plastic Surgeons issued a news release: plastic surgeons were re-evaluating past scientific findings and developing new knowledge about the effects of silicone breast implants. A previous supplement to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(R) (PRS), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), sheded new light on the psychological impact and health concerns of silicone breast implants. Mary McGrath, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and study author: "Breast augmentation patients do not have a poorer overall self-image, nor are they more self-critical and preoccupied with their appearance than other women". The positive effect of breast enlargement on women's thoughts and feelings was also limited to their breasts. After surgery, the women reported being less embarrassed about their breasts and spending less time feeling upset about and camouflaging their breasts ('ASPS studies re-evaluate psychological benefits and health concerns of silicone breast implants', US Fed News Service, 3 January 2008 ).
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THE NIP/TUCK CONSPIRACY: THE LIES AND HARD-SELL TACTICS COSMETIC SURGERIES USE TO CON WOMEN
"The US breast implant market was worth over $378 million in 2007, and would grow, due to in large part FDA' reapproval of silicone breast implants, to over $620 million in 2012, according to Millennium Research Group's Global Markets for Breast Implants 2008 report. In addition, 4th-generation silicone breast ("gummybear") implants were set to take off and would further drive market growth" (PR Newswire, 16 January 2008 ).
# - "...Only this week, an undercover investigation by which revealed widespread evidence that people wanting cosmetic surgery are being subjected to lies and a hard-sell more akin to the double-glazing industry. As clinics clamour for their share of the £906 million cosmetic surgery market, it seems that sales targets take precedence over integrity..." (UK Daily Mail, by Sadie Nicholas, 11 January 2008 ) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=507487&in_page_id=1879
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BREAST IMPLANTS: A MATTER OF MAINTENANCE
(The New York Times, 'Do My Breast Implants Have a Warranty?', by Natasha Singer, 17 January 2008 ) "A naked woman, her left arm strategically draped over her nipples, grins beatifically at readers in an advertisement for cosmetic surgery that equates breast implants with a more durable commodity: jewels...(...)..."Breast implants are not lifetime devices, and breast implantation is not necessarily a one-time surgery," reads a warning in much smaller type on the back of the advertisement. Indeed, whether women initially underwent implant surgery for cosmetic reasons or for reconstruction after roughly one third of patients in clinical trials had a second operation within four to five years, according to statistical tables in the ad...(...)..."My plastic surgeon told me that my saline implants should last forever," said Krista Schell. Ms. Schell, 29, who lives in Thornton, Colo., and works for the State of Colorado, said she first spent $6,500 in 2003 on breast enhancement surgery with a doctor in California. She had a second operation with that doctor last April to replace a deflated saline implant whose collapse made her left breast look "hollow"; her implants were still under warranty, but she did have to pay for the trip to California and lost a week's pay, she said. Last November, Ms. Schell had a third operation, which cost $6,000, this time with a surgeon in Denver who removed both implants as well as extensive scar tissue, she said. She also lost two weeks' wages because she had to take time off, she said. The implants had also caused rippling, a lump around one nipple and pain. "If you look at the negatives, you would talk yourself out of getting implants," Ms. Schell said....".
http://www.breastimplantawareness.org/krista.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/fashion/17SKIN.html
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MEXICO: PSEUDO PLASTIC SURGERY
Gabriela Sanchez always felt self-conscious about her small breasts. She decided to do something about it. She had breast implants, inserted by an allegedly bogus plastic surgeon causing severe infection. Eventually she had to have both breasts removed, raising question about how easily untrained scam artists can pose as qualified doctors in Mexico. No one (also not the Quackery organisations) keeps records on how many U.S. citizens travel to their south for medical procedures. The 'Cosmetic and Aesthetic Surgeon', Agustin Huerta --a sweet-talking, snappy dresser who zipped around town in a blue Jaguar and who botched dozens of facelifts, liposuctions, breast implants for easy money without the required 7 years of training-- was arrested on 6 December 2007 and facing about 8 years in prison. With scars stretching across her abdomen, Gabriela Sanchez's conviction ? 'Life-long'' !! Small breasts: "deformities" ? Or some plastic surgeons, doctors, individuals: deformities ('between the ears') ? http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/01/20/health/8_31_181_19_08.txt
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DOW CORNING: SILICONE DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES
A Dow Corning Press release on 6 February 2008 stated that Dow Corning would exhibit novel design solutions for the footwear industry at the Materials at WSA Expo and Conference in Las Vegas, February 19-21. Dow Corning would "showcase the unique footwear design possibilities of silicone with innovative technologies, such as the unprecedented combination of defense and comfort in impact-protection textiles and the attractive, long-lasting performance of textile printing inks". Chip Reeves, director of Design Programs at Dow Corning, repeating part of the statement in Dow's Press Release of 2 October 2007 concerning the Connection 2007 World Design Congress: 'We recognize the importance of collaboration among designers, material providers and end-users to create cutting edge products for the future".
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OVERABUNDANCE OF IMMUNE CELLS MIGHT TRIGGER LUPUS
More than 1.5 million Americans have lupus, a disease in which a hyperactive immune system assaults otherwise healthy organs. In the 15 February 2008 issue of Immunity a study was published by Dr. Jill Buyon, a professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicin, and study senior author Harris Perlman, an associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Saint Louis University. They reported that a pile-up of superfluous immune cells might contribute to lupus, a finding which could point to new therapies for the autoimmune disease.
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ALLERGAN LOBBIED ON MEDICARE ISSUES
In 2006 Canada and the FDA had approved Inamed (Allergan Inc.) silicone gel breast implants for sale and implantation. "Botox and breast-implant maker Allergan Inc. spent $520,000 in 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a disclosure form. The company lobbied on Medicare issues, according to the form posted online Feb. 5 on the internet by the Senate's public records office. Irvine, California-based Allergan spent $320,000 lobbying on those issues in the second half of 2007. Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995" (The Associated Press, Feb. 25, 2008 ).
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RETIRED ALABAMA FEDERAL JUDGE SAM POINTER JR. DIES
At age 73 U.S. Federal District Judge Sam c. Pointer died on 15 March 2008. Appointed by President Nixon, Sam C. Pointer, Jr. had overseen the breast implant litigation nationwide after a federal judicial panel in 1992 send the nation's silicone-gel breast implant lawsuits to his courrt. Pointer had announced the / his creation of the (tainted) National Scientific Panel in 1996 which on 1 December 1998 had come with an report concluding no definite links between implants and diseases. U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn: "Judge Pointer's legacy of service to this court and to the nation may one day be equaled, but never surpassed" (16 March 2008, Val Walton).
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IMPLANTS: WOMEN DENIED MRI PAYMENT BY INSURANCE COMPANY
Boyd Huppert (KARE) on 5 April 2008 reported that Kate Johnson was denied payment for a breast MRI by her insurance company. Several close relatives of Kate Johnson had died of cancer and a year earlier her mother died of breast cancer. After her mother's death Kate Johnson felt pain in her breast. A doctor recommended a breast MRI. Kate Johnson didn't expect a letter from her insurance company (Blue Cross and Blue Shield) denying payment for the $1,877 procedure. In black and white the letter stated that payment had been denied due to breast implants Kate Johnson had in 2003. The insurance company wrote that her "condition" was a "direct consequence" of her breast augmentation.
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SILICONE GEL IMPLANTS MAY LOSE APPROVAL ?
Health Canada may have to reverse its controversial 2006 decision to allow women to get silicone gel-filled breast implants, if Health Canada were to proceed a plan for chemicals, part of a risk assessment of 200 chemical substances, to declare key chemicals found in breast implants to be toxic, and potentially harmful to human health or environment. Health Canada in May 2007 had asked industry to prove D4, D5 and D6 (the Cyclohexasiloxane family, also found in cosmetics and other personal care products) were safe, as part of its chemical management plan. D4 was a priority for Health Canada because the European Commission listed D4 as a reproductive toxin. And D5 and D6 were priorities because of environmental concerns. Health Canada already had written to the industry that in the absence of relevant additional information, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the government is to conclude that the substances fell under the defenition of toxic. And a toxic-declaration would start a process that could lead to a ban in certain products. Dr. Kapil Khatter, scientific adviser for the Environmental Defence: "If the environmental assessment decides this should be toxic, there should be a duty of the medical devices branches to study whether it should be taken off the market". Part of Health Canada's plan for chemicals (risk assessment of 200 chemical substances) was also a decision about vinyl acetate: commonly used as a base in chewing gum (The Ottawa Citizin, Sarah Schmidt, 14 May 2008 ).
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=e8e8a978-f360-47f2-98bf-35b8ff6a42f4
http://breastimplantawareness.blogspot.com/2008/05/excellent-news-silicone-gel-implants.html
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SYLVIA "QUACKERY IN PLASTIC SURGERY"
In the Netherlands it was Dutch Minister of Healthcare Els Borst (D'66 party) --familymember of 'convinced' member of the Dutch Quackbuster organisation VtdK Prof. Piet Borst-- who in 2000 decided to alloww private-clinics by means of handing out special permits to be part of the regular circuit, under the observing eye of inspector-general Herre Kingma's Inspection for Healthcare. This against the (temporarily?) wish of many Dutch political parties which justwanted measures agianst private-clinics at that time, due to "bungling", as Member of Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament Agnes Kant of the Socialistic Party called it at that time.
# - In Dutch current affairs Tv-programme 'Netwerk' (bco NCRV, 2 July 2008, Jack Valkering) a report about the question: Does plastic surgery go under due to quackery ? "The worries about the quality of plastic surgery grows. You thought to make your lips a bit fuller, and to take away the wrinkles, and after treatment it appears that you mainly can see much worse. Something which plastic surgeons see more often, failed cosmetic procedures which they have to fix. Is the image of plastic surgery threathened by quacks ? Sylvia Veerman-Wagensveld is an activist 'Against the Quackery in Surgery', and herself victim of mutilation by a procedure. Now she stands on the barricade to deal with the amateurs in cosmetic surgery. In her book ("Legal Mutilated: Victim of the Beauty Industry") she describes the suffering-road of the failure of her operation. By her experiences she now tries to guide other victims during recover-operations in the hospital. In Dutch Tv-programme 'Netwerk' a conversation with a patient (Rita Donkervoort) who today had to undergo an operation, after she had undergone a failed plastic procedure. Rita since 2001 feels deformed, in a private-clinic, to which she was referred to by her beauty-specialist, she had let wrinkles in her cheek and mouth-corners be filled up. Soon after it went wrong. The filling utilized every inch of space in her face, everywhere sge got lumps and by the swelling around her eyes she could hardly see anything anymore. Sylvia Veerman: 'How unhappy we have not become, and deformed, with scars on your face and on your soul. The doctors are being put on the carpet, and then it again is being covered-up, I find that terrible in the Netherlands. This kind of abuses must be banned from the world. At a certain moment you loose everything, your loved ones, your friends, and your joy for life, so you get such a hate towards yourself, by the mutilation, that you start thinking 'well, I do not need life anymore, it yet will never become right', and that I hear from very many victims. There are many private-clinics were thre is bungling, and because there is no reporting-duty for private-clinics in the case something goes wrong, they do not have to report it, so they just continue. In hospitals that is not the case, there you have a reporting-duty. Ofcourse thre are also good private-clinics who have the same protocolls as hospitals. But who are they ? Where do you find them ? When the wheat is seperated from the chaff plastic surgery will not go under, I think, due to quackery, and that is the intention of my effort, to promote the good, and the bad ones must quit, but there is yet a long way to go". The website van Sylvia Veerman-Wagensveld 'Legally mutilated' http://www.legaalverminkt.nl
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BIG BREASTS TO DIE FOR: SILICONE SURVIVORS HANDBOOK
"DIANA WAS DYING - Confined to a wheelchair, doctors rated Diana totally disabled. Pain and suffering had beaten her down for 14 years. Four sets of breast implants had all ruptured: Silicone, Saline, and Polyurethane. Antibodies to Silicone, Systemic Fungal Infections, a lengthy list of symptoms, and then Cancer reared its ugly head. Doctors told Diana that they could not help her and that she would only become sicker with each passing day until she died, all the while standing firm with their prognosis and "expert" opinion that her "inert" implants were not responsible. Helpless and desperate, Diana reached for the exact-o-knife to cut them out herself. A loving inner-voice from what seemed a Higher Power stopped her. She listened closely to the guidance of her inner Angel and Diana's quest for health became her passionate goal. She totally changed the way she lived, ate, and exercised. She helped her body fight the good fight - to completely eliminate the silicone, cure the cancer, rejuvenate her youth, enhance her beauty, and feel good again. Her life changed in a positive and profoundly beautiful way. Now Diana is healthy, vibrant, and delighted to share her wisdom. Diana is a wunderful teacher and an expert on Silicone Poisoning". http://siliconesurvivors.com/helpingwomen.php?af=690483
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MORE CHANCE ON CANCER BY BREASTIMPLANT
(5 November 2008, Dutch newspaper 'Nederlands Dagblad')
"Women with a silicone breastimplants are at greater chance of getting ALCL in the breast, a form of lymphglandcancer. That appears from study by the Dutch Cancer Institute (NKI) in Amsterdam, that wednesday has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It is the first time that a clear link has been found between breastimplants and cancer. Apart from that women with breastimplants do not have to worry. ALCL in the breast is so rare, that the chance of getting it, also for women with an implant, is remarkable small...(...)...Yearly in the Netherlands twelve- to fifteenthousand women are provided with breastimplants. In 80% of the cases it is about breastenlargement, in the other caces it concerns breastreconstruction, most often at women who have lost a or both breasts as a consequence of breastcancer". http://www.nd.nl/artikelen/2008/november/05/meer-kans-op-kanker-door-borstimplantaat
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SILICONE-GATE: THE NEVER ENDING SAGA ?
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SILICONE MAKES THE $$$ WORLD GO ROUND
Silicone is used in implants located throughout almost every part of the body. And if one chooses to not be exposed via implants with silicone: "Polydimethylsiloxane, a silicone-based chemical, manufactured by Dow Chemical, not approved for use as a food additive, yet, Pizza Hut is using this chemical as a stabilizer for cheese on its patented pizza products. Some of those pizzas go directly to your child's schools and are served at lunchtime" (Silicone-Based Chemical in Pizza Hut's Cheese, http://www.rense.com/general69/gotpz.htm , http://www.themilkweed.com/Feature_06_Jan.pdf )
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Polydimethylsiloxane (compound with silicone) is namely used as an anti-foam and anti-clot remedy in foodstuff. In guidelines of the European Parliament about foodstuff-additives. part of Dutch legislation, is described how much polydimethylsiloxane may occur in food: fruits, vegetables-preservatives in a tin or glass, jam, jelly, marmelade, similar spreadable products, batter, soup, beef-tea, roastoil, roastfat, non-alcoholic aromatised beverages, sugar-stuff, except chocolate, pineapple juice and chewinggum. Other silicone-compounds, which according to the guidelines of the European Parliament are allowed in foodstuff, are to be found in: dryed provisions in powderform, salt, salt-replacers, food-, nutritional-supplements, articles of food in tablet- or dragée form, cutted hard cheese, cutted meltcheese, emulsifier and colouring-matter. In other foodstuff according to the law silicone-compunds are not allowed. A promotion-booklet 'Silicone and Consumerproducts' from the industy: "Most of us use silicone daily in one form or another via several other consumerproducts like prepackaged pudding and cakemix, daily consumergoods and careproducts. Others regular consume it via aerated mineralwater and gastricacid-binding medicines in the form of simethicone. Simethicone is even used in medicine against colics for baby's. Another form of silicone, dimethicone, is much used in products for personal care. In lipstick, rouge, handlotions silicone is used as moisturizer. Sunlotions, insekticides, aftershave lotion, shaving-cream, shampoo, hair-washes and hairspray often contain certain kinds of silicone. Bedsheets, clothes and facetissues often feel soft because of being treated with silicone. Silicone is also used as waterrepellent layer in umbrellas, raincoats and in laundry. Silicone is also use in tapwater and inmemorychips of computers. These are just a few examples of the most known usage of silicone in consumerproducts" (SOURCE: SVS' magazine, nr. l, March 1997 ).
# - Dow Corning around 2002 plunged into more other siliciumproducts. Dow Corning processes for example silicone products in bandagesmaterial. Dow Corning announced end June 2007, since silicone rubber already was used in many clothing for example in babysocks, that Dow Corning will add silicone to our socks: "Dow Corning: Silicone Keeps You and Your Socks on Your Feet". http://sev.prnewswire.com/chemical/20070611/CLM06811062007-1.html
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WHO "MORE STUDY SAFETY SILICONE"
In contradiction to Herre Kingma's IGZ, the present (renewed) Dutch Healthinspection IGZ rather did see and realize the importance of the silicone issue, and therby indirect the importance of Jomanda's diagnosis in the Millecam-case. The present (renewed) IGZ made her realisation known via the media: "The World Healthorganisation (WHO) and the environment-programme of the UN, whom this week after a five year study have finished a lively report, advice governments therefore to do more study into the safety of the safety of silicone", "The Dutch Healthinspection considers to do a wide study into the safety of silicone breastimplants, sais spokeswoman Fransien van ter Beek. This due to the healthcomplaints of a woman from Heerlen. She sais to have become seriously sick after het implants started to leak" (Dutch newspaper 'Algemeen Dagblad, 20 July 2007, 'Silicone breasts dangerous'). Obviously for the (influenced) IGZ there first had to be a 'diagnosis' (report) from 'a guru-position' (WHO) in a semi-regular atmosphere about the silicone-problems presented as an 'unimpeachable judgement' before the IGZ decided to take action. Other than would have taken place on basis of own initiative, belief and insight ?
IGZ AROSE FALSE HOPE
The realization of the present (renewed) IGZ rather appeared to be of short term. Or just meant for imageforming. Because IGZ's words did not match the deeds. False hope. In Januari 2008 came the disappointing notification, this time not via the media, by letter that the research of the inspection would not take place after all: "I must rather disappoint you where possibly the expectation has been aroused that the inspection herself will do research into this matter. Although this has been for a short while a matter of discussion within the inspection, but the inspection is in the judgement that such a study could be done better by the profession-group self. Therefore the inspection is than also very pleased that dr. Kappel concerning this has started a study".
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AGNES KANT: FEMALE PARTISAN ?
"Many times has been spoken with Member of Parliament Agnes Kant of the Socialistic Party (SP), the correct political questions were asked, but the answers........ all doctors, some exceptions, who are dealing with the problematic nature of silicone are lyars, Lie-politics ! The oath of Hippocrates ? The oath of Hypocriticus, one must mean, they act as if there nose is bleeding, as if they know of nothing", thus Marlou Boots of SVS in a reaction by telephone (2004 ). After many years of effort for victims and fighting upto the European Parliament, where was decided that there would come qualitycontrole, a registration-duty and a prohibitation on before- and after photo's of breastenlargements, of which nothinh has come about, in the present the Dutch foundation Supportgroup for Women with Silicone Implants (SVS) has been dissolved and does not exist anymore. Cause ? Silicone Associated Disease of Marlou Boots (source: Gezond.Nu, February 2008, 'Siliconebreast are innocent, plastic surgeons maintain'): "Marlou Boots can not work anymore. Twenty years ago the founder of the Dutch Supportgroup for Women with Siliconeimplants (SVS) silicone implants, now she can hardly walk. Her activities for SVS she had to give up, she tells through the telephone, that's why she can not attend us long". Agnes Kant became in June 2008 the successor of Jan Marijnissen as party-leader of the Dutch Socialistic Party (SP) who resigned due to healthcomplaints.
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AND THE INJURED STILL WAIT.....WAIT...WAIT..AND WAIT
Anno 2008, with as a member among others Sybil Niden Goldrich, the "Claimants' Advisory Committee" (CAC), the former "Tort Claimants' Committee", is still busy with the handling of the 'Settlement Facility-Dow Corning Trust' (SF-DCT). http://www.tortcomm.org If a claimant has been unable to establish the manufacturer of their implant the Settlement Facility-Dow Corning Trust releases an (updated) list of doctors whose statement about their exclusive use of Dow Corning breast implants are being accepted by the SF-DCT. If surgery performed by one of the physicians on this list during the time frame listed, one can submit to the SF-DCT for consideration and approval.
THE NETHERLANDS:
# - Dr. LNA van Adrichem, The Netherlands 1965 - 1991
# - AZVU Facility Amsterdam, Netherlands 1978
# - Dr. J.H. Lamaker, Netherlands 1970 - 1979
[[ Note: O.M. de Vaal en J.H. Lamaker 'Transsexuality in the Netherlands' (Dutch medical magazine 'Medisch Contact', 1982, 691-693 ), De eager wanted services of dr L. Gooren --the doctor for internal diseases who provides the magical means like Lvnoral and Androcur-- and dr Ph. J. H. Lamaker, the plastic surgeon who can rebuild a penis to a vagina, or remove the womb and breasts]]
# - Dr. J.M. Ramselaar, The Netherlands 1976 - 1991, Departments of Plastic Surgery Academic Hospital and St. Franciscus Gasthuis Rotterdam,
# - Sint Franciscus Gasthuis (facility), The Netherlands 1965 - 1991
# - St. Antonius Hospital Amsterdam, Netherlands 1973, 1976, 1979 - 1980, 1982 - 1984 http://www.sfdct.com/news.cfm
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MARLOU BOOTS ABOUT SYLVIA MILLECAM
-PIC- http://www.sdnl.nl/images/millecam.jpg
(Source: SVS, Magazine 'De Stille Kracht')
Marlou Boots: "Sylvia Millecam always had faith but was very afraid of just that, what people now are saying. She wanted so badly to bring, carry out word, a message. Choosing for yourself. Not be lead by remarks which make you uncertain by which you will do things which later you will regret. Many years have passed after her death and still the truth concerning Sylvia Millecam has still not come out in the open", "Sylvia Millecam wanted her story to be told. As a warning for hundreds of other women. She found that women had to be correctly informed, warned for the harmful effect of silicone implants. Many times Sylvia Millecam said she would tell about it extensively in her autobiographic book: the harmful devestating consequences she had from her silicone breasts. Unfortunately, it has never come to that".

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