Articles.
NSW homes are being engulfed by mould
HUGE downpours have seen the number of homes afflicted with mould jump. But our efforts to get rid of the spores is making it worse.
HARDLY anyone living on the east coast can have failed to notice the wet start to winter. In some places, the sheer amount of rain has broken records.
But the soggy conditions haven’t just led to annoying days caught short without an umbrella. They’ve also led to an outbreak of an unsightly, annoying — and potentially deadly — household pest.
Much of NSW is the grip of a mould crisis.
This Queensland Dad says he 'almost died' from mould
Sean Di Lizio struggled with tremors, insomnia and memory loss but no doctor could work out what was making him so sick. That was until he came across CIRS, a disease contracted by having mould in your home.
Specialists fear debilitating mould-related illnesses go undiagnosed, call for further research
For nearly three years, Sue Phoo didn't know why her health was unravelling.
As a lawyer and mother of two, she had always been known as a woman who was full of life, juggling a hectic schedule with a spring in her step and a big smile on her face.
But in 2016, Ms Phoo was suffering from extreme fatigue, depression, respiratory issues, a lack of concentration and no one could work out why.
Melbourne apartment defect horror leaves owner with health issues
When Zoe Foster visited her doctor for a routine COVID-19 test, the doctor regarded her swab with horror. “Your nose is black inside!” she exclaimed. “It looks like … mould spores.”
Ms Foster, 37, was, in turn, aghast. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “But I knew exactly what it must be. I’d had so many problems in my new apartment, including leaking balcony doors and water running down the balcony walls from upstairs.
Mould infestations at Sydney social housing block leaves residents living in fear
Melissa Smith ended up in hospital after a mould infection took hold of her social housing unit in south-east Sydney.
Black mould began to grow on the carpet of Ms Smith's apartment in Chifley in 2019 and it gradually spread to the ceiling and windows.
Many of the 25-year-old's belongings have been ruined by the mould but the impacts on her health are more serious.
Sydney woman reveals crippling mould health battle as government develops GP guidelines
A few weeks after moving into the property she fell mysteriously ill and has been battling multiple chronic illnesses ever since.
She would eventually be diagnosed with chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), a controversial condition with some similarities to lyme disease, thought to be brought on by exposure to mould.
Is Hidden Mold at Home Making You Sick?
Except for an occasional asthma flare up, Caitlin Murray is a healthy, happy 5-year-old, who loves doing artwork. But three years ago, she was terribly sick, and no one could figure out why.
"She would have terrible headaches and her face was swollen and she'd throw up sometimes for seven to 10 days," Jill Murray, her mother said. "They tested her for cystic fibrosis, for leukemia, all kinds of diseases and they couldn't find anything wrong with her.