Twelve-year-old Russian Girl Likely Victim of Thalidomide

A twelve-year-old Russian girl, Irina, is missing her left arm, femur bones in both legs, and has webbed fingers on her right hand. The defects are said to be the likely result of her mother taking thalidomide while she was pregnant. Irina lives with her adoptive parents in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This story is about the community working together to raise money to get Irina a new prosthetic arm that could cost up to $30,000. While this is a very noble deed and inspiration, it is not the reason I am sharing this recent story.

I want everyone to pause and think. Is a new wave of thalidomide babies right around the corner? Is this the type of future we want for our children and grandchildren? Irina is twelve years old. The dawning of a very young and new generation of thalidomide babies could be upon us sooner than we think if we don’t all help raise awareness of the potential dangers of this drug. The article refers to the “banned” drug, thalidomide. I have not confirmed whether thalidomide is indeed currently banned in Russia. It is really irrelevant except to say that if it is banned and there are thalidomide babies being born, then how many will be born in countries where it is approved and distributed for several different diseases? It also reaffirms my original statement that even the tightest distribution controls can not account for human nature or mistakes.

Read the article and think! In the 50’s and 60’s, no one knew of the effects until it was too late. Thalidomide was considered safe. The survivors now in their 50’s are experiencing enormous financial challenges for medical care with the small settlements they received. In other countries where no compensation has been awarded, thalidomiders beg on the street just to buy food and make ends meet – no expensive adapted cars or wheelchairs to increase their potential of getting a job.

Well, this time around, WE KNOW the effects! At the risk of sounding cold and heartless, I want to know who is going to bear the financial burden this time. In a time of economic collapse with people losing jobs and their homes, big-hearted Americans are participating in fundraisers so that a 12-year old Russian thalidomide child can get a $30,000 arm for reasons that could have been avoided. Irina’s defects are actually mild. Most have been born with no arms and/or legs. My heart goes out to the babies born into this type of lifetime struggle, but will our pockets remain deep enough for every thalidomide baby yet to be born with defects that could have been avoided? Where will this generation of thalidomide babies be in fifty years? When will we ever learn from our past?

“Russian-born girl inspires Grandville school family to reach out, provide prosthetic arm”

Victims Of The Drug Scandal Are Turning 50 But Are Being Denied Government Aid As Their Health Worsens

Most Thalidomide Babies are now in their fifties and dealing with the everyday challenges of their disabilities as well as growing old. “TimesOnline” shares a piece from “The Sunday Times” that describes the dilemma experienced by thalidomide survivors – the extra wear and tear on their bodies, the high costs of vehicle and home modification, and health care and assisted living costs. UK thalidomide survivors have been getting by with modest assistance from settlements from the drug company, which is disbursed by the Thalidomide Trust. Some have managed jobs through the years. To date, additional assistance from the government (who allowed the drug’s availability without proper testing in the 50’s) has been refused.

State Shuns Children Of Thalidomide

Thalidomide Baby Spotlight - Rosie Moriarty-Simmonds

Rosie Moriarty-Simmonds was born with no arms or legs. In a time when society’s attitude was to institutionalize babies like Rosie, her family chose to raise her at home and provide as near normal a life as possible. Rosie is in her mid 40’s and married to Stephen, also a tTalidomide Baby with no legs. They have a “normal” 12 year old son.

“Mail Online” writes about Rosie’s life and her concerns of the return of thalidomide in their featured article:
“Thalidomide Is Back - But Those Scarred By It The First Time Fear It Is A Terrible Mistake”

Rosie wrote a book published in July 2007, “Four Fingers and Thirteen Toes” about her life as a Thalidomide Baby.
Customer Reviews

Thalidomide Baby Spotlight – Louise Medus

Louise Medus was born with no arms or legs and malformed hands and feet. She grew up in an institution but as an adult, went on to marry and have two “normal” children who are now 20 and 16 years old. At 46, Louise is divorced but remarried to the love of her life – Darren Mansell, 47, and also a thalidomide survivor.

“Mail Online” describes Louise’s life and love story.
“A Truly Special Love Story: Two Married Thalidomide Survivors Living Happily 50 Years After Drug's Launch’


Meanwhile, Louise has written a book with the help of writer Gill Swain.
“No Hand To Hold and No Legs To Dance On” was published in January 2009 and is the true life story of Louise Medus. GWALES.com provides a news release of the book and some of life’s reflections by Louise.

Thalidomide Baby Spotlight – Tony Melendez

Thalidomide left Tony Melendez with no arms. Think about it. What are your favorite activities and how would you do them without arms? Tony Melendez found a solution in his feet. Not only did he become proficient in using his feet to accomplish most day-to-day routines but also he became one of the most amazing acoustic guitarists I have ever seen. Tony’s incredible outlook on life is a reminder to us all that there is no excuse to be defeated by life’s challenges. Read his biography and watch the videos. Prepare to be humbled.

Tony Melendez Biography

Thalidomide – A Haunt From the Past

When I was a young teen, I went to the county fair with a group of friends like most kids do. I remember the tent we walked by several times advertising “freaks”. My curiosity peaked, I wanted to check it out but my friends said, “Don’t waste your money. It’s all fake stuff, a hoax, and a rip off.” They went on some rides and I decided I had to see for myself. What I saw that day changed my life forever. There was the 2-headed cow and the little person about three feet tall. Both behind ropes so you could not get too close to see if they were fake. But, that is not what grabbed my attention. Up close, I saw an unborn fetus in a jar of formaldehyde with no arms and legs, big posters describing the thalidomide caused birth defects, and pictures of babies who had indeed been born with no arms and legs. Okay, if this was a hoax someone sure had a sick sense of how to make a buck. If it was real, then how could anyone let something like this happen? How could they not know this drug would cause these horrific birth defects? Reality or hoax, the shock factor lived in my subconscious for years.

Fast-forward nearly 30 years. Pregnant with mild morning sickness, my doctor offered a prescription to alleviate the symptoms. I shuddered although I was not sure why the suggestion prompted such intense feelings. Fast-forward about five more years. I stumbled upon an article on the Internet regarding the approval of thalidomide by the FDA (for a different use). Suddenly, it all came flooding back to me. The images of unborn deformed babies and Thalidomide Babies born with no arms and legs. No, it was not a hoax. The thalidomide caused birth defects was a very real and tragic situation that occurred back in the 1950’s and 60’s. It unsettled me for a few days as I thought of how crazy this must be. I soon put all the thoughts aside after several thankful prayers for my healthy son. Now, a few years later more news seems to be regularly cropping up about thalidomide. More applications are being discovered all the time and more countries around the world are approving it for many new uses. This time, I find I cannot put the thoughts aside. We all have an obligation to our subsequent generations to pass on our knowledge and wisdom to them. That is why I have vowed to do what I can to increase awareness of the potential consequences of this drug when taken by the wrong person at the wrong time.

For starters, I have written two articles:

The Thalidomide Tragedy – Will History Repeat Itself?

Help Avoid More Thalidomide Baby Births

I feel like we are watching a big snowball rolling downhill, gaining momentum before it finally hits the huge boulder at the bottom of the hill smashing it to bits. Let’s all work together to change the path of that snowball before it hits the boulder.