Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 01:00:28 -0700

To: Recipient List Suppressed:;

Many thanks to Diana Z. for helping me rewrite my letter. I now feel that I have a chance at helping. Thank you both for all your help and support. I love you dearly.

God Bless. Love, Sami

Dear Representative Bliley:

I had originally begun this letter as just a way to vent my anger and my frustrations, however, it has become a letter of the feelings from my heart. I pray that you will take the time out of your busy schedule to read it.

I have just finished reading the quotation from the general counsel for Mentor, Mr.Douglas Aultschulter, where he stated that the FDA's investigation of Mentor's study of breast implants is a private matter between Mentor and the FDA. Obviously, those of us who were harmed by Mentor's implants do not think it is a private matter between the company and the FDA, since it has serious implications for our health.

The women with Mentor implants believe we have known the truth about the dangers of Mentor implants for many years. We are living proof of it. Just take a look at any one of us, or look at any one of our medical records -- that is where the living proof and the truth of all this injustice truly is. Unfortunately, Mentor continues its tactics to try and keep us women in the dark. Well, Rep. Bliley, thanks to you, and with our help, perhaps the truth will come out. We no longer have to hide our illnesses, it is time we all light our candles and come out of the dark.

We have known for years that the implant manufacturers don't care about our lives, it is just a business to them, and the name of the game for them is money. The question is, will the Congress and the FDA sweep this insidious issue under the rug, or will it be there to take care of this for us?

I am hopeful that the truth is now finally coming out. I am sad that so many of us now are too sick to celebrate the truth, but at least we will go to our graves knowing that we were right all along. As one of our elected officials, please don't let the Congress look the other way while we die horrible deaths, all in the name of money. Let the truth finally be known and brought to the attention of the public. We are now in our second generation of silicone toxicity, innocent babies are being born with silicone toxicity, and yet the companies still refuse to take responsibility for what they have done to us. Ask any of the husbands or the fathers who have already lost their wives and their babies to silicone poisoning, and see how they feel about the truth.

Why doesn't the FDA just read some of our medical records to get the truth? Why don't they analyze for themselves some of the ingredients in silicone gel implants, and analyze the bacteria and fungus in saline implants, and let the truth finally be known? Most of us would be more than happy to let the FDA have our medical records, I would even be more than delighted to be examined as part of an FDA study. Let them see just how sick we are, and that there is no other explanation for it other than the implants. For myself, I did not even ask to have implants after my mastectomy, my doctor decided on his own that I needed them. I am extremely ill now, dying, and I did not even get to make the choice for myself about putting my life at risk.

Dow paid 12 million dollars to a PR firm. Think of how far that would have gone to find a way to help those of us with implants who are sick or dying. I am too tired to fight anymore, all I want to do is see that the truth finally come out. Let the blame lie where it belongs. Let the women finally have peace. We are sick, and we are dying, we are not money-grubbing women who want to win this suit so that we can go out on a shopping spree, or go on a vacation. We need the money to pay our medical debts because the insurance companies have either denied our claims, or have canceled our policies.

We are honest, God-fearing women who only want what is right. Let the truth be known finally. I implore you Representative Bliley, do the right thing, let the truth prevail. Don't let all of our illnesses and deaths be in vain. Take these bags of poison off the market.

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my letter. God Bless you, and I send my prayers that you will have the bravery needed to address this issue.

Sincerely, B.L.Samberg-Lucas ( Sami Lucas)