We’re joining @ashmagazine in their campaign championing extraordinary women and have chosen someone that we cannot help but find limitlessly inspiring.
Lauren Wasser, the incredible advocate that has devoted herself to rectifying serious problems with the tampon industry and raising awareness of the disease that nearly killed her; toxic shock syndrome.
Having dealt with the logistics of her period for 11 years (where buying mainstream tampons was part of the ritual), the model had little reason to believe that her flu-like symptoms could be anything to do with her period and the products that she was using at the time.
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a complication of bacteria infections (usually Staphylococcus aureus) which, despite not being secluded to females only, has a strong correlation between contraction and tampon use. ‘Tampons and tampon-like objects have been used by women during their menstrual cycles for centuries, but over the past 50 or so years, their composition has changed from natural ingredients like cotton to synthetic ingredients like rayon and plastic, especially among the big tampon manufacturers…These synthetic fibers, along with a tampon's absorbency, can form an ideal environment for staph bacteria to flourish. When Proctor & Gamble debuted an extra-absorbent tampon called Rely in the 80s, it created the perfect storm for TSS, resulting in a number of deaths. According a study conducted by the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, "the gelled carboxymethylcellulose" in Rely tampons "acted like agar in a petri dish, providing a viscous medium on which the bacteria could grow."’ After a several drips, a medically induced coma and multiple operations, the 24 year old survived right-leg below-the-knee and left toes and heel amputations but is extraordinarily lucky to be alive.
Ever since, the awe-inspiring model has been campaigning for transparency within the tampon industry whilst dedicating herself to raise awareness about TSS prevention. She’s even done a TED talk. You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2KzXF-8ROQ
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