One trend I noticed with most of my clients in Pahokee Florida, was there was what seemed to be a rash of women, affected by Wilma, whose children had asthma.

I mean there were loads and loads of female applicants whose children became asthmatic as a direct result of the mold which had accumulated as a result of the storm.

This touched me deeply, as I do love children.

One client, in particular, who was the mother of 5 children, lost everything, was homeless and lived in the local shelter.

Mind you, this shelter was housed in a building that was condemned and reopened as a shelter for displaced people affected by Wilma.

This woman was very upset when we spoke with her saying, "I don't want my babies to have to live like this. They don't deserve this life and I will do what I have to do to get them out of it."

I neglected to mention that 3 of her 5 children were triplets that were 7 months old, with the oldest of the remaining 2 children was 5 years old.

Lots of the women placed in this shelter and those who were still in these severely damaged homes had children who became asthmatic due to constantly inhaling mold, mildew and other germs as a direct result of this storm and still some of them got no assistance.

I understand the criteria for assistance provided by the Red Cross, but why let these children suffer in the name of helping those in need when these little ones have an obvious need.

There must be a line drawn regarding criteria, but where and when will it be drawn?

Michael Watkins