My film, a true story called Remembering Nearfield, brings a taboo disability, electrohypersensitivity (EHS) into the spotlight giving it a powerful voice and focus.
It is narrated by Corriëlle van Vuuren, who was diagnosed with EHS. To a person with EHS man-made electromagnetic radiation impairs their ability to carry out their day-to-day activities.
As Corriëlle's testimony reveals, people with the disability may lose everything: property, possessions, status, family and social relationships, and income. Discrimination, marginalisation and a life in isolation add to the burden of the disability, and as EHS is not currently very widely recognised, there are no disability benefits or support on par with other disabilities.
Remembering Nearfield can contribute to public education by bringing EHS, a neglected disability, into focus. We all want to see positive social changes that respect disability, whatever its nature. People with EHS are like everyone else: they wish to live their lives like everyone else, without discrimination, to be respected human beings and to have equal opportunities in society. We may all challenged by our individual vulnerabilities and sensitivities - but we can through mutual respect accommodate each other, regardless of disability.
I envisage my film kickstarting a global conversation about EHS and EMF safety. Through awareness, society can better accommodate EHS and, as the film reveals, an effective way is to reduce man-made EMF pollution and provide low-zero EMF environments. Creating such places we can have enhanced choices about limiting our exposure to man-made EMFs. EHS affects millions and we can begin to do something about it and support those acutely affected by man-made EMF.
Sean Alexander Carney.
