{"id":"HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395","number":"5395","name":"Melissa Chalmers","organization":"","posted":"2026-10-27T04:00Z","received":"2026-10-21T04:00Z","body":"In 2010, I was permanently injured by electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from cell towers during the 4G rollout and the analog-to-digital TV signal transition.. I was left unable to tolerate all forms of wireless, electricity, the sun for many years and even x-rays.  \n\nAs a 25-year airline pilot, I had to stop flying because I could no longer tolerate hotel Wi-Fi or aircraft radar. The radiation levels in my home where I was injured were 800 times higher than inside my aircraft.\n\nThis injury cost me my career, health, travel capabilities, ability to have children, and millions of dollars in lost wages and pension. I face ongoing injuries inside and outside my home from cell towers, neighbours' Wi-Fi, TV/radio antennas, radar, satellites, and consumer devices. \n\nBecause Canada lacks radio-free areas, I had to leave my family for years to live in the radio-free zone of Green Bank, WV. Prior to that , I met with Industry Canada, alongside Frank Clegg, former President of Microsoft Canada, to establish a radio-free zone in Canada. Despite Port Franks, Ontario and its municipality agreeing to host Canada’s first radio-free zone, Industry Canada told us they would legally block any attempts to establish a zone, asserting that no area in Canada could be without cell service.\n\nThis lack of accommodation has caused immeasurable suffering, leading to homelessness, suicide, and people now accessing MAiD. Those affected cannot access healthcare due to hospital and clinic Wi-Fi. Adults with serious forms of this injury cannot work, children cannot attend school, and the elderly cannot live in nursing homes.\n\nThere is a lack of empathy and care for this inconvenient group of people who most definitely are reacting to electromagnetic radiation, even if our health authorities won’t investigate it and or act appropriately on their reports of injury. \n\nAs a patient advocate in Ontario, I have helped hundreds of individuals with electromagnetic injuries globally. Regardless of underlying co-factors, all these injuries occurred following exposure to electromagnetic radiation. \n\nMy Symptoms:  \n\nMy symptoms at the time of my permanent injury included:  \n\nTinnitus \nDiminished quality of sleep \nProfound and sudden vision loss \nSudden unexplained progressive weight gain \nSkin pigment changes (loss of pigment in some areas, gaining of pigment in others) \nTotal loss of freckles, which I had since childhood\nLack of tanning with sun exposure when tanning was easy for me previously  \nHormonal changes (Extreme hair growth on arms, cystic acne for the first time in my life, extremely heavy periods) \nTissue swelling accompanied by skin colour changes when exposed to radiation - turning my skin red and eventually purple if I didn’t reduce exposure\nNausea and vomiting \nImmense fatigue \nTissue heating of parts of my hands and arms when walking through one location of my home \nRepetitive strong shocking, carrying a large charge in my body \nNew chemical allergies and severe allergic reactions to foods (including meat) \nSerious adrenal insufficiency - lack of cortisol production  \n\nLooking back, I believe I was being thermally heated far below the Safety Code 6 levels, that led to my brain swelling, which put pressure on my pituitary gland and optic nerve, and resulted in many of my symptoms listed above.  \n\nMy observations of electromagnetic injures and co-factors which may have made people more vulnerable to injury:  \n\nExposures to radiation itself - For Example I met a couple who stayed over at a Canadian Airforce Base in Ontario, and they both became permanently injured from the radar on the same night.  \nExposures to Pesticides and other chemicals \nTaking Ciprofloxacin \nHaving heavy metals in their body - For example, high mercury, aluminum, iron or copper levels.  I have seen many vegetarians who became injured later, potentially from high levels of copper as they are missing zinc from not having meat in their diet.  \nBeing exposed to Lyme disease or West Nile Virus (previous encephalitis) \nElectrical Shock \nGamma Scan exposures \nMRI exposures - Single to patient and cumulative to staff \nMold Exposures \nCarbon Monoxide Exposures \nConcussions \nGenetic issues - For example, the inability to detox, the inability to process certain nutrients that might lead to lack of myelin, etc.  \nAnything that has compromised the blood brain barrier \nPotentially Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or Connective Tissue Disorders - leading to MAST Cell Activation Syndrome \n\nI’ve also observed that the digitization of the frequencies themselves has led to injuries from electromagnetic radiation.  For example, I used a 900 MHz analog cordless phone for 10 years with no problems, but I was not able to tolerate a digitized DECT phone at 2.5 GHz.  \n\nThank you for the opportunity to submit my comments.  If I can be of any help, please just ask me.  \n\nMelissa Chalmers \n","attachments":["https://downloads.regulations.gov/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395/attachment_3.pdf","https://downloads.regulations.gov/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395/attachment_4.pdf","https://downloads.regulations.gov/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395/attachment_1.pdf","https://downloads.regulations.gov/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395/attachment_5.pdf","https://downloads.regulations.gov/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395/attachment_2.pdf"],"attachment_inventory":true,"withheld":false,"source":"https://www.regulations.gov/comment/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395","tags":["child-development","health-experiences","sleep-cognition","exposure-places"],"source_hash":"d64cc05fc0caa1eecd9cdaa0ad3571b1d33603e410f257ca42e9eb53a6163646","slug":"child-development-comment-5395","classification":{"id":"HHS-OASH-2026-0397-5395","body_sha256":"0c01203bf9a8caee911ad9caaf7f827a80552d8a45740bdbfa391d0e4b4879ea","status":"ai_reviewed","primary_topic":"ehs","topics":[{"id":"ehs","evidence":"I was left unable to tolerate all forms of wireless, electricity, the sun for many years and even x-rays."},{"id":"access","evidence":"Because Canada lacks radio-free areas, I had to leave my family for years to live in the radio-free zone of Green Bank, WV."},{"id":"occupational","evidence":"As a 25-year airline pilot, I had to stop flying because I could no longer tolerate hotel Wi-Fi or aircraft radar."},{"id":"neurological","evidence":"Diminished quality of sleep"},{"id":"mechanisms","evidence":"Looking back, I believe I was being thermally heated far below the Safety Code 6 levels, that led to my brain swelling"}],"summary":"Reports lasting EMR intolerance beginning during the 2010 wireless rollout, with numerous symptoms and loss of an airline-pilot career, housing options and family opportunities. Describes relocation to a radio-quiet area, advocates accommodation and offers observations about exposure patterns and possible vulnerability factors.","reviewed_at":"2026-10-27T19:20:49Z","review_method":"Full comment-text review with exact source evidence; attachments not reviewed","review_source_sha256":"4c0e006e72a53da4ee949dd4411ae621b02186f1393c14ebd6555e0e18a040bb","source_url":"https://rfsafe.net/hhs-comments/data/catalog.json","scope":"Original comment body; attachments excluded"},"forum_topics":["ehs","access","occupational","neurological","mechanisms"],"primary_topic":"ehs","forum_title":"Reports lasting EMR intolerance beginning during the 2010 wireless rollout, with numerous symptoms and lo…"}