We’ve asked survivors and families to tell their stories:
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF CO BY MEDICS, LACK OF PROOF AND NO SUPPORT
Survivor Amber Yates
A young mother and husband in their holiday caravan with their 6 week old baby in late summer 2021 were roused around 3.00 a.m by their CO alarm and drove themselves to hospital
The reaction? “Medics treated us as if we had made the whole the whole thing up.”
Survivor Kate
“My GP didn’t even know he could test for CO in my blood or how to do it. He had no knowledge or information about chronic CO poisoning. I had to do the research.”
“I went to a number of consultants who said they were sure CO poisoning would not affect their body area of speciality. This was not sensible given CO travels everywhere in the blood, and it was not based on research that would con rm that, since there is none.
“In searching for information myself, I found medical education and research seems to largely avoid chronic CO poisoning.”
“I spoke to the inspector investigating my boiler and he told me how many different mistakes or faults can lead to a CO leak. Given how often this happens, it saddens me victims have to turn to doctors who do not have a good education in testing for and treating CO poisoning.”
Concerned tenant
“The HSE only seem to be interested when someone’s died!”
Survivor Pauline
“I rarely visited my GP - I was healthy and ran my own practice and business with ease.
“Now I can barely function and can’t work. I cannot help but feel dismayed by lack of help for survivors.
Only someone who survived CO but has to live with brain injury truly knows the impact it has on the brain and body. It destroys us in so many ways and it continues to forever.”
Survivors John and Irma O’Leary
“The situation was very isolating; we couldn’t nd anyone who would listen until we made contact with CO-Gas Safety.”
Survivor Tina Wilkinson
“It seems most legislation regarding CO poisoning relates to gas appliances. Although we checked out our tter of our solid fuel re, the faults uncovered were truly shocking and dangerous.
I was diagnosed with a heart condition which the consultant eventually admitted was almost certainly due to CO poisoning.”
Survivor Sue Westwood
“16 years after nding out I was poisoned with CO poisoning, I still have many health issues caused by CO.
Living with the aftereffects is an ongoing battle of ill health, hospital appointments and dealing with lack of understanding from medical professionals. It’s a life sentence.”