September 17, 2025 • 37 mins
We kicked off the program with four news stories and different guests on the stories we think you need to know about!
The Return of Taste of Fenway on Wednesday September 24th!
Guest: Steven Farrell - Executive Director of Fenway Community Development Corporation
New Massachusetts license plate honors K9 officers and handlers.
Guest: James (Jim) LaMonte – Founder of the K9 PTSD Research Center in Seekonk, the group who came up with the idea of the plates
Europe bans chemical used in some gel nail polishes, classifying it as a ‘reproductive toxicant’. Tufts doctor things there should be some type of regulation in the U.S. She thinks it would be a particularly good idea for women of childbearing age to avoid gel nail polish… Guest: Dr. Farah Moustafa - MD, Dermatologist and Director of Laser and Cosmetics at Tufts Medical Center
Retired Milford firefighter John Hennessy, who, after a lifetime of service with the Milford Fire Dept., now needs help finding a donor for a lifesaving kidney.
Guest: John Hennessy – Retired Milford firefighter who needs a kidney
*For more info on John and how to donate*
The Return of Taste of Fenway on Wednesday September 24th!
Guest: Steven Farrell - Executive Director of Fenway Community Development Corporation
New Massachusetts license plate honors K9 officers and handlers.
Guest: James (Jim) LaMonte – Founder of the K9 PTSD Research Center in Seekonk, the group who came up with the idea of the plates
Europe bans chemical used in some gel nail polishes, classifying it as a ‘reproductive toxicant’. Tufts doctor things there should be some type of regulation in the U.S. She thinks it would be a particularly good idea for women of childbearing age to avoid gel nail polish… Guest: Dr. Farah Moustafa - MD, Dermatologist and Director of Laser and Cosmetics at Tufts Medical Center
Retired Milford firefighter John Hennessy, who, after a lifetime of service with the Milford Fire Dept., now needs help finding a donor for a lifesaving kidney.
Guest: John Hennessy – Retired Milford firefighter who needs a kidney
*For more info on John and how to donate*
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night with Dan Ray. I'm going easy Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good evening, Nightside fans. I am the aforementioned Dan Ray,
the host of Nightside. Rob Brooks is back at the
control room already. Rob and I have been scrambling a
little bit. We have some breaking news, which we will
get to after nine o'clock, but a breaking news story
that I think all of you will be very, very
interested in. There has been a suspension of a late
(00:30):
late night comic. I'll leave it at that for now
because they don't want to take away any time from
our guest. We have four guests this hour. We're a
moment going to introduce you to the taste of Fenway.
We're not talking about Fenway Park, by the way, We're
talking about Fenway the community. We're going to talk about
a new set of Massachusetts license plates which would honor
(00:51):
canine officers and the canines they're handlers. And then there
is an effort to be in certain types of gel
nail polishes in Europe, and I think when we talk
to doctor Mustafa from Tuffs, she's going to remind us,
(01:11):
particularly those of you who use nail polish. I myself
don't use nail polish and want, never have, never will.
But for those who do use nail polish again, of
whatever gender you want to be careful of what type
of nail polish you use. And then we will talk
with a retired Milford firefighter, John Hennessy, who after a
(01:32):
lifetime of service now leads needs a little help finding
a life saving kidney. So we'll get to all of
that four interesting topics, starting off with Steve Farrell. Steve
is the executive director of the Fenway Community Development Corporation.
That sounds like an impressive group. Steve, Welcome to nightside.
How are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I'm doing very well, Dan, Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
So is the Fenway Community Development Corporation? Is? Is that
a nonprofit? Tell us about the group first of all,
and then we want to talk about the return of
taste of Fenway.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Sure, yeah, thank you for that again. Glad to be here. Yeah.
So Fenway CDC Community Development Corporation, that's absolutely right. A
nonprofit housing and community development organization. We provide services to
those who live in the Fenway, specifically focus on providing
affordable housing, giving folks a chance to get to know
(02:27):
their neighbors through our community Programs Department, but also identifying
ways for our residents. There are thirty two thousand people
in the Fenway neighborhood. I appreciate you saying that it's
not just a bullpark. We are a neighborhood of thirty
two thousand folks, their uncles, grandpa's sons, daughters, who are
(02:48):
severely rent burdened. So we provide a variety of services, including,
like I said, affordable housing opportunities. We have about five
hundred and fifty homes for that house, about eight hundred
fifty individuals, like I said, grandpa's uncles.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So you own five hundred and fifty properties or you
have access to five hundred and fifty properties.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Well, it's five hundred and fifty homes units in about
nine buildings across the family neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
And so what's your source of funding? This sounds like
a more significant organization than your regular community group. How
do you get funding?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
So we are funded by city, state and federal grants,
but also tax credits. We are supported by the Section
eight program that most folks knows as a federal program.
So we have a variety of and also a lot
of private developers and funders to help us from these
(03:47):
critical services.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yet, so how do people get help if they live
do they have to live in the Fenway area initially
or do they want if they desire to live there,
they would contact you and you would help them out.
What what is the mission? Is the mission? So?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, so we focus on primarily on folks who currently
live in the Fenway, specifically through the affordable housing. We
also have an organizing focus for folks who live there
currently that want to have get leadership development skills for
UH to to learn how they can engage their city,
(04:24):
state and federal lawmakers.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Toy but more, yeah, more importantly, we're getting into the
weeds there a little bit because they do want to
get to the taste of Fenway. So if someone lives
in Dorchester, Charles Town, Roxbury, Mattapan, South Boston, wherever in
the city, or for that matter, outside the city, live
in Chelsea or Saugust and the love to live closer
to Fenway Park, you can't help them. They they got
(04:48):
to get into the community on their own. They just
got ring your phone tomorrow and get some assistance to
move into Fenway, into the Fenway neighborhood.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, yeah, that's that's that's correct.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Okay, great things, all of predidu stagers that don't want
you to have a I asked a couple of questions
which were genuine questions, and I don't want to have
your phone ringing off the hook tomorrow. As I'm sure
you know, there are a lot of people would love to
live there, so let's talk about it, says the Return
of the Taste of Fenway. Is this a program that
at one point existed and now it's being renewed and
(05:23):
it sounds like a great program. Tell us about it.
It is coming up on Wednesday, a week from today,
September twenty.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Fourth, that's correct. Yeah, And the long term forecast is
for balmy weather for this restaurant focused event that we'll
have twenty restaurants that will have tenths on a block
between Kilmarnock and Richard Rossway on Vnest Street behind Fenway Park.
So folks come, they enjoy food and drink from these
(05:52):
twenty vendors, they learn about the Fenway neighborhood, they can
engage other residents from the neighborhood, and it's the it's
the return because we had a short hiatus because of COVID.
But this is our seventh Taste of the Fenway, and
the you can you can buy tickets or become a
sponsor of the event at Taste of the Fenway dot org.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Okay, so what's the ticket price for someone who this
is open uh to to people from anywhere. I assume
anyone who wants to come and participate, they can.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Come to price.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Okay, So that is what get what gets you past
the the the whatever. What's what's the cost to participate?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Sure, yeah, it's fifty, it's fifty dollars per person. And
we have and we have and and cheap and well
and but you get that, you get your variety. You
can eat and drink to your desire. For folks at
many of these, at any of these twenty vendors who
are have presents at Yeah, who have presents at all
(06:57):
over the Fenway from Boylston Street to the on.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
So there's no additional cost. It's not like you pay fifty.
But then if you want to have a beer or
glass of wine, it's got another ten bucks.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
It's that's that's correct, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
You do have some restaurant tours which would provide libations
as well as food, I assume.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
One of our one of our new restaurants this year
actually is Cisco Brewing. They're they're new to the neighborhood
and they're new to taste of the family, so they're
they're very well regarded and for folks who know beer.
Then we also have wine options from Natalie Wine Bar,
and then food options from many folks who have been
there before. We have dessert dessert options as well.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Well.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I think we're good. I think we got it figured out.
It's next Wednesday. What time does it start? Obviously, I
assume it's not ten o'clock in the morning.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
No, no, nor is it ten o'clock. And it it's
from five pm to seven pm. There's plenty of parking,
as folks who have been to ballgames or other cultural
institutions in the neighborhood plenty of parking around. There's also
Green Line stops very close by, and we'd love to
have folks there join us to hear music from our DJ.
There are door prizes, and it'll prove to be a
(08:09):
great event to support.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Really, here's an even more important question. The Red Sox
home that.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Day that night, they are not we scheduled that we
check on that plenty early's okay.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Excellent, that's actual. We got it covered. Steve, thanks very
much for the information. Appreciate it a lot, and hope
you have a great, great event.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Great, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
You very welcome. When we get back here on Night's I,
we're going to talk about a new program. There's lots
of specialty license plates and this one we're going to
be talking with the founder of the K nine PTSD
Research Center in c kongk This is the group that
came up with the idea of the special plates to
honor K nine officers in their handlers. The K nine
(08:54):
officers are the dogs. The handlers the police officers. Not
to be confused. We'll be back on Nightside. My name
is Dan Ray. Stay with us. We have some interesting
topics coming up later on tonight. We're going to see
what can what can be done, if anything can be
done about the failing reading scores across Massachusetts. This is
(09:18):
frightening some of these numbers. We'll talk about it. And also,
as they say, we have a breaking news story that
is just breaking. A late night talk show host has
been suspended. We'll get to all of that, and I'm
sure we'll get a variety of viewpoints on that as well.
Back on Nightside after this, You're on.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Night Side with Dan Ray on wb Z, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
All right, we are now going to talk about a
new Massachusetts license plate that will honor canine officers and
their handlers with us as James Lamonti. He's the founder
of the K nine PTSD Post Traumatic Syndrome Search Center
in Seacok group that came up with the idea of
(10:03):
the place. James or Jim, would youever you prefer up
tell us how this idea began.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Good evening, man, thank you so much for having me
on tonight to represent this amazing cause. Actually, I have
to give credit to Florida. Florida in twenty twenty one
announced they were doing a canine plate in honor of
you know, the Canaan hammers and canine dogs that serve,
and so kind of said, well, why can't we do
(10:31):
it here in Massachusetts. And so it took a number
of years to get it to this point, and the
final piece that we needed was Miss Gannon Sean can
I started Sean Gannon's mom reached out to her and.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
The officer who was shot by that coward.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, murdered in twenty eighteen. And so I
reached out to her personally, I said, can we honor
dedicate this plate to Shawn's memory? And she incredibly gracious
and beautiful and said yes. And so with the final
piece there, we submitted the final design that you see
now to the state and took about three weeks to
(11:11):
get it approved in state, which, by the way, that
the Partment Transportation fill us absolutely fantastic to work with,
did a great job helping us in every way.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
So my understanding and I don't know nearly as much
about this, of course as you do, but mindus staying
with all of these plates. You have to have a
certain number of people I forget what the number is,
but who are committed to, you know, buying the plates,
you know, because there's a little bit of additional cost.
But it's whether it's the plate for the Bruins or
(11:41):
the red Sox or the cape. Where are you in
the process? Do you do you have not only the
commitment for enough people that this is going to happen.
Are you looking for some people to pledge that they'll
support it.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
That's a great question. Let me let me clarify how
that works. So the state doesn't require the state requires
that we sell three thousand plates within five years. They
give you a lot of time to do it. However,
how it works is this is that we're on the
hook up to three thousand plates financially. So if we
(12:17):
can say tomorrow to the state, we want to run
these plates now, okay, But what will happen is if
we don't meet that three thousand threshold, then the Canine
PTSD Research Center is responsible for the difference in the cost.
So let's just say.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
You've explained that really clearly. I get it totally. So
are you starting from ground zero or do you have
some commitments already?
Speaker 5 (12:42):
So we started three days ago, and as of this
conversation with you tonight, we're well over eight hundred pre orders.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
So you're the way there. Three days Okay, all right,
that's one. So how can some of my listeners who
would like to Everybody you know has their license plates
and and you pay for the right to the privilege
of driving your automobile. But there's a little bit added
if you're going to get one of these I think
(13:09):
they're called loyalty plates generically. Is that correct, am I.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
That's a great, great question. I understanding to be charity plates,
and what it winds up coming down to is a
dollar sixty seven per month to have this plate on
your car is twenty dollars a year, so it's a
dollar sixty seven, so it's actually less money.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah, okay, Yeah, I think I think it is loyalty.
I think the idea of charity. There were a lot
of the charity plates that you see, Jimmy Fun plates
and stuff like that. But I think there's loyalty, and
I think the the idea is it's it's not you're
doing it for charity, You're doing it out of loyalty
to a cause, whether again you're a big sports fan
or whatever. So how can people who might be listening
(13:49):
tonight and would like to get one of these plates?
Do they go through you? Or do they Can they
change the plates immediately you have to or do they
have to wait until their license regis stration comes up,
the plate registration comes up, the car registration comes up
sometime in the next couple of years.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
That's great question. They can do it as soon as
the plate is available and they can go to our
website right now and they can actually place the order,
which is if you don't mind if I give it,
can I?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Well that's why I was asking you. You read to
make sure. Well, there is a method to my madness.
I'm a big supporter of police organizations.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
Go ahead, but thank you. I just didn't want to
overstep my boundaries. WWW.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
You don't need the W. Let me tell you you
don't need the WWW anymore, so you just give it
to us straight off.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Okay, excellent. Great, If the letter K the number nine
p t s D dot org forward flash plate p
l A t E or right from our home page
at kN I PTSD dot org. Click on the link
there and it'll take you right there seven or eight
fields to fill in and then you'll be good to go.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Well, this is great, and you have eight hundred all ay,
and there's no it's not as if you only can
can do eight three thousand and there was. If ten
thousand people want to do it, that's okay too.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
Right, Absolutely, the Commonwealth would be more than happy to
accept ten thousand.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Well that's what I'm saying. Yeah, Well, I just don't
want people to think it's capped and they can can
they do it. For example, I got my plates, my
new sticker, I should say, my twenty twenty seven sticker,
and I kept my old plates. So if I wanted
to switch to the and I think my technically my
(15:41):
registration expiers on September thirtieth, but I got my twenty
twenty seven sticker on my plate already, nice neat and
all of that. If I wanted to switch, do I
have to wait two years when until my registration comes
up to be renewed. Or can I go to the
registry and say, hey, I just heard of this great idea.
I'd like to get the canine plates. Do you know?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Yeah, you can do that once they're available. They're not
available until production starts, but exactly you can walk in
once they're available through the registering Motive Vehicles. You could
walk in that day and say I want to change
my plates out and switch to these.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Plates, okay, and the production is going to start or
the plates? Will you anticipate the plates to be available
fill in the blank?
Speaker 5 (16:26):
Great question? Once were three thousand. We'll submit that to
the come up of Massachusetts from there, okay.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Okay, So so you got to get the three thousand
in order to get the run of the plates.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Okay, exactly, yes.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Okay, okay, all right, so you you got a little
bit of pressure here, but that's okay. So people can
make can make their commitment to you, and then once
you get three thousand committed, you're off and running. Okay.
There was a lot that we ironed out here, to
be honest with that you did.
Speaker 5 (16:58):
Because yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I want people to do. I want people to understand
a good cause when we when we present it, and
that's why we went through it with such specificity. So
thanks very much for what you do.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Thank you so much for having me on. If I
could just give it, thank you to all the people
so far that actually registered and continue to register, Canine Strong,
Massachusetts all the way. Amazing, amazing, amazing, Thank you so
much so far. Let's keep getting it done, push it
through the finish line.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Okay. I was afraid you're going to name the eight
hundred people and I wouldn't let you do that. Okay,
Thanks James, talk to you soon. Good Now, we got
news at the bottom of the arm and we come
back to talk about a new well I don't know
if it's new or not, but Europe is now banning
this chemical that is used in some gel nail polishes,
classifying it as a reproductive toxicant. And we will talk
(17:50):
with doctor Farah Farah Mustafa, she's a dermatologist and director
of Laser and Cosmetics a Tough Medical Center. Right after
the News.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
To Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
All right, I'm delighted to welcome back doctor Fara Mustafa.
She's a dermatologist and director of laser and cosmetics at
Tufts Medical Center. Doctor Mustaf, it's been too long. Welcome back.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
Hi, thank you great to be here.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Now tell us about this Europe has decided to ban
this chemical. Uh, it's I guess it's letters are tpo
I have no idea what what that means, but that
chemical is used in some gel nail polishes and its
classified as a reproductive toxic That doesn't sound good. What
(18:46):
are we talking about here? Let's let's let's get right
to the basics.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Hi, Yes, so yes. Tpo Is is a chemical that's
found in gel nail polishes as a photo initiator. Basically,
it's an ingredient that helps when you put your hands
under the UV light. It makes the gel nail polish harden,
and there were some studies that were conducted in rats
that found that when the rats were ingesting these their
(19:12):
males had issues with their sperm and fertility rates, and
it was found to be reproductively toxic. The EU takes
a very kind of like strict approach on these things,
and so they said this is chemicals proven to be harmful.
So therefore, as of September first of this year, they
basically said any any existing stock in any nail salons
(19:34):
can't be used and it's kind of banned from use
in gel nail polish. So they took a pretty hard
line on that because of those animal studies, and it
just raises some questions about, you know, our safety in
our cosmetic products.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
How how long has this chemical been utilized? I mean,
is it self there was just recently introduced or is
it something that women have been and I guess there
are still some men who who do their nails. How
does this How does this play in terms of how
(20:09):
long has it been around?
Speaker 6 (20:11):
So it's been around at least since the nineteen eighties
as as a curing agent, and it's it's not it's
dound in other cosmetic products as well, but this is
one of the primary uses of it. And I think
really the question is, you know, like from our from
the federal agencies or the US based agencies, you know
(20:33):
that is we take more of a hazardous approach as
well as a risk approach. Right, So if you're putting this,
if this chemical is reproductively toxic, but I'm not eating
it the way the rats were in the studies, then
how harmful is it?
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Really?
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Right?
Speaker 6 (20:48):
But you can imagine if someone is routinely getting their
nails done. You know, I know many women, many patients
that come to see me for nail issues are basically
getting their nails done every two weeks and they're using
jill I'll polish, you know, every time that they go in,
or the nail technicians that work in these salons, are
they constantly being exposed. So I think it's you have
to ask yourself a question not only you know, is
(21:10):
this particular thing harmful? But how often are people being
exposed to it? So it's really the duration of exposures
to your question about how long has it been around
and why are we hearing about this now is a
very good one.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
So I assume that this again, I see the phrase
reproductive toxicant, and there's a note here that says would
be a particularly good idea for women of child bearing
age to avoid the jailed nail polish. So there's some
study or there's some application of that.
Speaker 6 (21:41):
I assume, Well, I think that recommendation really comes from
we first don't have human based studies to make, you know,
like a sweeping recommendation. And I think that's why up
until now that you know, our federal or our regulating
agencies haven't taken that stance. But we do have alternatives,
(22:02):
right There are gel mail pulshes that don't have a
TPO in them, and there are other versions of manicures.
Maybe they're not as long lasting as your traditional gel manicure,
but it's an alternative. So I think it's a it's
a good it's a This is a good example of
just educating the public on what they might be exposed
to based on, you know, what stage they are in
(22:23):
their life and how they are interfacing with these cosmetic products.
So when I counseled my patients on it, well, I'm like, well,
if you are in your fifties and you get your
nails done, you know, once a month or once ever.
You know, whenever there's a special occasion, it's probably not
as relevant to you. But again, if you're a young
person in your twenties or in the prime of your
(22:44):
reproductive years, and this is something you're doing routinely, well
maybe it's it's a it's it's worth stopping to consider
what alternatives can I what alternative alternatives can I consider?
But we definitely still need human studies, larger studies to
make definitive conclusions on what is the reproductive toxicity in
humans being exposed to it in this way, basically through
(23:07):
the nails.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Now, one of the argusests we always hear is that
European nations are much more aggressive generally with companies that
deal with these chemical issues. So, in other words, why
would our food and drug administration not be just as aggressive,
(23:32):
Not that we have to rely upon the Europeans, but
why would they not be just as aggressive as the
Europeans on something like this. It seems to me the
sort of thing that people can avoid. You know, you
can still get your still get your nails done. Why
risk And it's almost like the idea of when you're
smoking cigarettes back in the fifties, and sixties. Once the
(23:52):
Surgeon General's report came along, most people or many people said, hey,
it's not worth the risk avoid you know, getting one cancer,
But why do we want to risk it?
Speaker 6 (24:06):
Yeah, I think that that's a that's a great question.
I mean, our our regulatory bodies consider, you know, both
the hazard, so the hazardous nature of the chemical itself,
which we have established it is hazardous, but also the exposure.
So I do agree that the European regulatory agencies are
(24:29):
have kind of more strict guidelines. They're looking at is
this a hazardous chemical? Yes or no? And so yes
it is. So therefore, you know why included in anything.
This is a six billion dollar industry worldwide, So there's
a lot of financial implications, right and if you talk
to local salon owners, I think, you know, it probably
(24:52):
puts them in a bit of a pickle right now.
This is this is these are products that they've been
relying on, and and and one could argue that, you know,
the jail this is kind of what's been used as
kind of the standard. Right, So the gel nail pulshes
that don't have the TPO and them there's some argument
about them not being as good of quality. The colors
don't come out as vivid, so it's definitely in kind
(25:16):
of the top products, and so it is forcing the
industry to kind of shift and come up with alternatives,
which I think is ultimately better for the consumer. But
your points are all great points.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Yeah, it seems to me. And again, I'm not somebody
who I don't get my nails done, and I know
that there are some men who do, but I don't,
and so to me, it's like it doesn't impact me.
Easy for me to say, but I just kind of
imagine if I was someone who had my nails done
and all of a sudden they read about this study,
(25:51):
I would want to know no matter what, because I
just don't see, like this a huge difference between my
wife gets her nails done and oh they look lovely. Okay,
you know, I don't focus on the nails. I don't know.
I don't want to sound sexist here, but I guess
it's a very it's a very important to women that
(26:12):
the nails be as beautiful as possible. I get that,
But at what risk, I guess.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Is the question?
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Yeah, I mean, and it's kind of this agil question
about you know, assuming you know, balancing the risk and
balancing your own individual risk for things, right, so I
guess the reward, whatever the reward exactly exactly. For a
lot of women, you know, hair is really central to
you know, their femininity, and the same goes for nails,
(26:41):
and so if they have this is part of their routine.
This is what makes me look good and feel good.
So it would be, you know, a tough habit to break,
but I think it is. I think it is good
that we have agencies thinking about our best interest so
that we can make the edency decision.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Right.
Speaker 6 (26:57):
Oh, yes, I want to do this or I want
to take this risk. It's now I'm an informed consumer,
and so I think that's it's all about. In medicine,
things are all about informed consent. Right, you take on
and risk. Almost everything has risk, right, So even if
you you know, getting in your car and crossing the
street or you know, so, we don't want to fear
monger or create necessary panic. And there's a good chance,
(27:19):
you know, if again, if you are have minimal exposure
to this, or you're past your reproductive years, or you're
not you know, routinely getting your jail nails done, maybe
the implications for your own personal health is close to zero.
But everybody's situation is a little bit different. And the
important thing, at least from my standpoint, is an informed consent,
(27:40):
like i know what I'm being exposed to, and I've
made this decision because of the information that's been presented
to me, as opposed to you know what you hate
is like, oh well, nobody ever told me this was
an issue. I'm here, I am you know.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
So.
Speaker 6 (27:52):
I think there's like a an important piece of education
of the patient of the concent summer here that really
is at the root of all this.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I mean, probably everything that you and I jest during
the day have some potential negative negative you know, other
than kale, I mean everything else that you're right, whether
it's a glass of wine. Uh. And sometimes the warnings
change back and forth. One year glass of red wine
is good for you, the next year it's not so
good for you. It drives people crazy as well, Doctor Mustafa,
(28:24):
Thank you so much. Doctor Fara Mustafa, dermatologist, director of
the Laser and Cosmetics at Tuff's Medical Center. Thanks so
much for your time. You're a great guest and you
never disappoint Thank you so much.
Speaker 6 (28:36):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Okay, when we get back, we're going to talk very
seriously about a Milford firefighter, John Hennessy, who spent a
lifetime of service with the Milford Fire Department and now
he needs a little help. He needs a life saving kidney.
We'll talk about that struggle and that search right after this.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
It's Night Side with.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
FoST's Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
All right, I am delighted to welcome retired Milford firefighter
John Hennessy. John, I want you to know I received
the note from someone who heard about your set of circumstances.
Didn't provide me with a lot of information, but we
were able to track you down through David Reichs. Welcome
(29:24):
to Nightside, sir. How are you doing?
Speaker 4 (29:25):
First of all, thanks for having me, Dan doing okay
right now? The whole thing is I need a kidney
and that's what it's all pulling into me right now.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
So let's just get a little background. How long did
you serve on the Milford Fire.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Department thirty two years? That was a great firefighter.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
And did you retire before the kidney problems presented themselves
or did you retire and all of a sudden early
in your retirement, you realize you got a real battle
on your hands.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
I retired in twenty fourteen and this was just diagnosed
to me the beginning of this year. I had some
concerns to my doctor. I went to see a nephrologist,
doctor David lou and it all started up with a
biopsy and then from Mary. I was seen at UMass
in Worcester and they told me that my levels were
(30:25):
very low. And that's where I am right now.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
So just for the benefit of people out there, you know, obviously,
if you've worked for thirty two years and you're retired
in twenty fourteen, I assume you've had a pretty healthy
life to work as a firefighter for all those years
and enjoy about ten years of retirement before this problem
lay that at your doorstep.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
I did, at least I thought, so Dan, to get
to this point, Now, what.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Were the symptoms that alerted you. It wasn't you figured
out that you had an issue. It wasn't something that
was discovered and just an annual physical or something like that.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
It was for my blood work. Doctor questioned it once
that when I had last year that a test came
back and the numbers were askew for my age. I'm
sixty seven, and he felt that they maybe had a
problem with the lab. No, we redid it again and
the numbers came back exactly where they were and it
(31:28):
wasn't the lab, it was me. So he moved forward
to see if there was anything else we could do.
His first concern was possibly getting me into a dialysis unit,
and that kind of scared me because I didn't think
I was that bad. But since since January, my numbers
have steadily. As they said, it's fluctuation. I'm at a
(31:49):
twenty percent right now, and for some only my age,
I should probably be about twenty percent higher. But circumstances
being like that, that's that's where I am right now.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Okay, just wll make sure you have you have two kidneys,
so one is fine and you got to find a
match for the one that is not not doing the job.
But that's your.
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Situation unfortunately both of them. That's that's where it comes
down to. And look, that's why I'm looking for the
donor right now. I've on live on the list for
nine months. But the doctor set up I could find
a good, you know, good match for myself that they'd
be able to, you know, do the transplant on me.
(32:32):
And the hottest thing right now is I don't have siblings.
I was an only child. Unfortunately I did have family members.
I have two daughters and a son. Unfortunately they are
not compatible with me. The only one I have is
my youngest child, my daughter, but she just recently diagnosed
with cancer, so she cannot do anything for me for
(32:54):
another three years because she needs to be five years
or when they should be cancer free. So that is
an option right now. It's just the best thing I
could hope for us to find a donor. And I
did reach out through the National Fall and Firefighters Foundation
for Kidneys for Community dot org and I'm start of
the campaign. I believe Dave Rakee he worth a hell
(33:17):
of a campaign piece for me, and that's what I'm
going with right now. And I had an article in
the Milfa Daily News from another local reporter and hoping
to find somebody that may be help me.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Yeah, this is not the first type story that we've
done on Night's side. There was a Red Sox pitcher
a few years ago, Jeff Plimpton, who needed a kidney
in his fifties, and he was able to get that
kidney and you know it's you know, there's a bunch
(33:52):
of organs, but this is one. So people, if people
would like to, they have to do some sort of
a blood test themselves to determined compatibility. Is that what
someone would have to do.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Yes, that's the start, that's the shop down. Actually, if
they wanted to reach out to the website kidneys for
Community dot dot org uh and go to my report,
they can reach out through that to say they want
to be tested for me. I've had success so far
with quite a few other ones. We haven't got a
match yet. Yeah, hoping that that will happen. But the
(34:28):
more like doing this with you tonight, hopefully get the
word out that maybe there wouldn't be somebody out there.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Okay, So so the website, it's a national website, is
called kidneys.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
Is it kidney Communities.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Kidney kidney four communities dot org. Yes, kidney again, I
stepped on you there. From an audio point of view,
is it k I d any y or k I
d any y s for communities.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
For multiple kidneys for community gotch okay?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Fine? Plural Kidneys for communit Unities plural dot org uh.
And they would have to just so people can understand this,
they would have to probably go to their own doctor's
office to have the blood drawer or something like that.
It's not as if they would have to go, you know,
somewhere in New York or something. No, it's no, okay,
(35:18):
Once it would be it would be self explanatory.
Speaker 5 (35:22):
Right, it would.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
It would be for that they'd be able to set
somebody up to be able to give them all the
information that you know. The first step is to get
UH screening, get tested UH and then go from there.
They have a really elaborate system for the donor. They're
very well taken care of. They need to be the
ones because they're basically given and gifts all life to me.
Speaker 6 (35:42):
UH.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
They have to make sure that everything is good for
them for me.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
I know that the Boston Herald UH did did a
lot for a fellow former school committee member, John Nucci,
who needed a kidney as well. So you may reach
out to them as well. They're they're they're very in
tuned with this as I am, and I sure hope
we can help you. So I just wish it. I
(36:08):
wish you the best of luck. I got a pretty
good feeling about it. John, You've done a lot for
other people, and what goes around comes around, and hopefully
the good you've done will come around and provide you
with this life saving kidney. So please keep us posting.
If anything comes out of it, we'd love to be
able to celebrate it with you.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
That sounds really good.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Okay, Thanks John Hennessy. Thank you for your courage, and
thank you for your service to the Milford to the
people of Milford and surrounding communities thirty two years as
of hire Fighter. You're welcome, John, Thanks again. Okay, we
come back. We're going to talk first about reading problems
and reading problems that exist in Massachusetts schools. Public schools.
The kids are falling behind and something has to be done,
(36:54):
and we're going to talk with the former Boston School
Committee member Mary Tamer about a new piece of legislation
that I think has to turn things around. I have
strong feelings on this, as you probably can figure out,
and we'll talk about those, and we'll also talk with
Mary Tamer right after the nine o'clock news and later
on tonight late night talk show host has been suspended
for remarks that were made he made regarding the recent
(37:18):
assassination of a Charlie Kirk. We could go today and
it's a big story. We'll get to that. That was
a lead breaking story just as we were coming on
the air tonight back on Night's Out, after this
It's Night with Dan Ray. I'm going easy Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good evening, Nightside fans. I am the aforementioned Dan Ray,
the host of Nightside. Rob Brooks is back at the
control room already. Rob and I have been scrambling a
little bit. We have some breaking news, which we will
get to after nine o'clock, but a breaking news story
that I think all of you will be very, very
interested in. There has been a suspension of a late
(00:30):
late night comic. I'll leave it at that for now
because they don't want to take away any time from
our guest. We have four guests this hour. We're a
moment going to introduce you to the taste of Fenway.
We're not talking about Fenway Park, by the way, We're
talking about Fenway the community. We're going to talk about
a new set of Massachusetts license plates which would honor
(00:51):
canine officers and the canines they're handlers. And then there
is an effort to be in certain types of gel
nail polishes in Europe, and I think when we talk
to doctor Mustafa from Tuffs, she's going to remind us,
(01:11):
particularly those of you who use nail polish. I myself
don't use nail polish and want, never have, never will.
But for those who do use nail polish again, of
whatever gender you want to be careful of what type
of nail polish you use. And then we will talk
with a retired Milford firefighter, John Hennessy, who after a
(01:32):
lifetime of service now leads needs a little help finding
a life saving kidney. So we'll get to all of
that four interesting topics, starting off with Steve Farrell. Steve
is the executive director of the Fenway Community Development Corporation.
That sounds like an impressive group. Steve, Welcome to nightside.
How are you, sir?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I'm doing very well, Dan, Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
So is the Fenway Community Development Corporation? Is? Is that
a nonprofit? Tell us about the group first of all,
and then we want to talk about the return of
taste of Fenway.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Sure, yeah, thank you for that again. Glad to be here. Yeah.
So Fenway CDC Community Development Corporation, that's absolutely right. A
nonprofit housing and community development organization. We provide services to
those who live in the Fenway, specifically focus on providing
affordable housing, giving folks a chance to get to know
(02:27):
their neighbors through our community Programs Department, but also identifying
ways for our residents. There are thirty two thousand people
in the Fenway neighborhood. I appreciate you saying that it's
not just a bullpark. We are a neighborhood of thirty
two thousand folks, their uncles, grandpa's sons, daughters, who are
(02:48):
severely rent burdened. So we provide a variety of services, including,
like I said, affordable housing opportunities. We have about five
hundred and fifty homes for that house, about eight hundred
fifty individuals, like I said, grandpa's uncles.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So you own five hundred and fifty properties or you
have access to five hundred and fifty properties.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Well, it's five hundred and fifty homes units in about
nine buildings across the family neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
And so what's your source of funding? This sounds like
a more significant organization than your regular community group. How
do you get funding?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
So we are funded by city, state and federal grants,
but also tax credits. We are supported by the Section
eight program that most folks knows as a federal program.
So we have a variety of and also a lot
of private developers and funders to help us from these
(03:47):
critical services.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yet, so how do people get help if they live
do they have to live in the Fenway area initially
or do they want if they desire to live there,
they would contact you and you would help them out.
What what is the mission? Is the mission? So?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, so we focus on primarily on folks who currently
live in the Fenway, specifically through the affordable housing. We
also have an organizing focus for folks who live there
currently that want to have get leadership development skills for
UH to to learn how they can engage their city,
(04:24):
state and federal lawmakers.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Toy but more, yeah, more importantly, we're getting into the
weeds there a little bit because they do want to
get to the taste of Fenway. So if someone lives
in Dorchester, Charles Town, Roxbury, Mattapan, South Boston, wherever in
the city, or for that matter, outside the city, live
in Chelsea or Saugust and the love to live closer
to Fenway Park, you can't help them. They they got
(04:48):
to get into the community on their own. They just
got ring your phone tomorrow and get some assistance to
move into Fenway, into the Fenway neighborhood.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, yeah, that's that's that's correct.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Okay, great things, all of predidu stagers that don't want
you to have a I asked a couple of questions
which were genuine questions, and I don't want to have
your phone ringing off the hook tomorrow. As I'm sure
you know, there are a lot of people would love to
live there, so let's talk about it, says the Return
of the Taste of Fenway. Is this a program that
at one point existed and now it's being renewed and
(05:23):
it sounds like a great program. Tell us about it.
It is coming up on Wednesday, a week from today,
September twenty.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Fourth, that's correct. Yeah, And the long term forecast is
for balmy weather for this restaurant focused event that we'll
have twenty restaurants that will have tenths on a block
between Kilmarnock and Richard Rossway on Vnest Street behind Fenway Park.
So folks come, they enjoy food and drink from these
(05:52):
twenty vendors, they learn about the Fenway neighborhood, they can
engage other residents from the neighborhood, and it's the it's
the return because we had a short hiatus because of COVID.
But this is our seventh Taste of the Fenway, and
the you can you can buy tickets or become a
sponsor of the event at Taste of the Fenway dot org.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Okay, so what's the ticket price for someone who this
is open uh to to people from anywhere. I assume
anyone who wants to come and participate, they can.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Come to price.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Okay, So that is what get what gets you past
the the the whatever. What's what's the cost to participate?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Sure, yeah, it's fifty, it's fifty dollars per person. And
we have and we have and and cheap and well
and but you get that, you get your variety. You
can eat and drink to your desire. For folks at
many of these, at any of these twenty vendors who
are have presents at Yeah, who have presents at all
(06:57):
over the Fenway from Boylston Street to the on.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
So there's no additional cost. It's not like you pay fifty.
But then if you want to have a beer or
glass of wine, it's got another ten bucks.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
It's that's that's correct, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
You do have some restaurant tours which would provide libations
as well as food, I assume.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
One of our one of our new restaurants this year
actually is Cisco Brewing. They're they're new to the neighborhood
and they're new to taste of the family, so they're
they're very well regarded and for folks who know beer.
Then we also have wine options from Natalie Wine Bar,
and then food options from many folks who have been
there before. We have dessert dessert options as well.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Well.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I think we're good. I think we got it figured out.
It's next Wednesday. What time does it start? Obviously, I
assume it's not ten o'clock in the morning.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
No, no, nor is it ten o'clock. And it it's
from five pm to seven pm. There's plenty of parking,
as folks who have been to ballgames or other cultural
institutions in the neighborhood plenty of parking around. There's also
Green Line stops very close by, and we'd love to
have folks there join us to hear music from our DJ.
There are door prizes, and it'll prove to be a
(08:09):
great event to support.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Really, here's an even more important question. The Red Sox
home that.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Day that night, they are not we scheduled that we
check on that plenty early's okay.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Excellent, that's actual. We got it covered. Steve, thanks very
much for the information. Appreciate it a lot, and hope
you have a great, great event.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Great, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
You very welcome. When we get back here on Night's I,
we're going to talk about a new program. There's lots
of specialty license plates and this one we're going to
be talking with the founder of the K nine PTSD
Research Center in c kongk This is the group that
came up with the idea of the special plates to
honor K nine officers in their handlers. The K nine
(08:54):
officers are the dogs. The handlers the police officers. Not
to be confused. We'll be back on Nightside. My name
is Dan Ray. Stay with us. We have some interesting
topics coming up later on tonight. We're going to see
what can what can be done, if anything can be
done about the failing reading scores across Massachusetts. This is
(09:18):
frightening some of these numbers. We'll talk about it. And also,
as they say, we have a breaking news story that
is just breaking. A late night talk show host has
been suspended. We'll get to all of that, and I'm
sure we'll get a variety of viewpoints on that as well.
Back on Nightside after this, You're on.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Night Side with Dan Ray on wb Z, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
All right, we are now going to talk about a
new Massachusetts license plate that will honor canine officers and
their handlers with us as James Lamonti. He's the founder
of the K nine PTSD Post Traumatic Syndrome Search Center
in Seacok group that came up with the idea of
(10:03):
the place. James or Jim, would youever you prefer up
tell us how this idea began.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Good evening, man, thank you so much for having me
on tonight to represent this amazing cause. Actually, I have
to give credit to Florida. Florida in twenty twenty one
announced they were doing a canine plate in honor of
you know, the Canaan hammers and canine dogs that serve,
and so kind of said, well, why can't we do
(10:31):
it here in Massachusetts. And so it took a number
of years to get it to this point, and the
final piece that we needed was Miss Gannon Sean can
I started Sean Gannon's mom reached out to her and.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
The officer who was shot by that coward.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, murdered in twenty eighteen. And so I
reached out to her personally, I said, can we honor
dedicate this plate to Shawn's memory? And she incredibly gracious
and beautiful and said yes. And so with the final
piece there, we submitted the final design that you see
now to the state and took about three weeks to
(11:11):
get it approved in state, which, by the way, that
the Partment Transportation fill us absolutely fantastic to work with,
did a great job helping us in every way.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
So my understanding and I don't know nearly as much
about this, of course as you do, but mindus staying
with all of these plates. You have to have a
certain number of people I forget what the number is,
but who are committed to, you know, buying the plates,
you know, because there's a little bit of additional cost.
But it's whether it's the plate for the Bruins or
(11:41):
the red Sox or the cape. Where are you in
the process? Do you do you have not only the
commitment for enough people that this is going to happen.
Are you looking for some people to pledge that they'll
support it.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
That's a great question. Let me let me clarify how
that works. So the state doesn't require the state requires
that we sell three thousand plates within five years. They
give you a lot of time to do it. However,
how it works is this is that we're on the
hook up to three thousand plates financially. So if we
(12:17):
can say tomorrow to the state, we want to run
these plates now, okay, But what will happen is if
we don't meet that three thousand threshold, then the Canine
PTSD Research Center is responsible for the difference in the cost.
So let's just say.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
You've explained that really clearly. I get it totally. So
are you starting from ground zero or do you have
some commitments already?
Speaker 5 (12:42):
So we started three days ago, and as of this
conversation with you tonight, we're well over eight hundred pre orders.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
So you're the way there. Three days Okay, all right,
that's one. So how can some of my listeners who
would like to Everybody you know has their license plates
and and you pay for the right to the privilege
of driving your automobile. But there's a little bit added
if you're going to get one of these I think
(13:09):
they're called loyalty plates generically. Is that correct, am I.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
That's a great, great question. I understanding to be charity plates,
and what it winds up coming down to is a
dollar sixty seven per month to have this plate on
your car is twenty dollars a year, so it's a
dollar sixty seven, so it's actually less money.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah, okay, Yeah, I think I think it is loyalty.
I think the idea of charity. There were a lot
of the charity plates that you see, Jimmy Fun plates
and stuff like that. But I think there's loyalty, and
I think the the idea is it's it's not you're
doing it for charity, You're doing it out of loyalty
to a cause, whether again you're a big sports fan
or whatever. So how can people who might be listening
(13:49):
tonight and would like to get one of these plates?
Do they go through you? Or do they Can they
change the plates immediately you have to or do they
have to wait until their license regis stration comes up,
the plate registration comes up, the car registration comes up
sometime in the next couple of years.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
That's great question. They can do it as soon as
the plate is available and they can go to our
website right now and they can actually place the order,
which is if you don't mind if I give it,
can I?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Well that's why I was asking you. You read to
make sure. Well, there is a method to my madness.
I'm a big supporter of police organizations.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
Go ahead, but thank you. I just didn't want to
overstep my boundaries. WWW.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
You don't need the W. Let me tell you you
don't need the WWW anymore, so you just give it
to us straight off.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Okay, excellent. Great, If the letter K the number nine
p t s D dot org forward flash plate p
l A t E or right from our home page
at kN I PTSD dot org. Click on the link
there and it'll take you right there seven or eight
fields to fill in and then you'll be good to go.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Well, this is great, and you have eight hundred all ay,
and there's no it's not as if you only can
can do eight three thousand and there was. If ten
thousand people want to do it, that's okay too.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
Right, Absolutely, the Commonwealth would be more than happy to
accept ten thousand.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Well that's what I'm saying. Yeah, Well, I just don't
want people to think it's capped and they can can
they do it. For example, I got my plates, my
new sticker, I should say, my twenty twenty seven sticker,
and I kept my old plates. So if I wanted
to switch to the and I think my technically my
(15:41):
registration expiers on September thirtieth, but I got my twenty
twenty seven sticker on my plate already, nice neat and
all of that. If I wanted to switch, do I
have to wait two years when until my registration comes
up to be renewed. Or can I go to the
registry and say, hey, I just heard of this great idea.
I'd like to get the canine plates. Do you know?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Yeah, you can do that once they're available. They're not
available until production starts, but exactly you can walk in
once they're available through the registering Motive Vehicles. You could
walk in that day and say I want to change
my plates out and switch to these.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Plates, okay, and the production is going to start or
the plates? Will you anticipate the plates to be available
fill in the blank?
Speaker 5 (16:26):
Great question? Once were three thousand. We'll submit that to
the come up of Massachusetts from there, okay.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Okay, So so you got to get the three thousand
in order to get the run of the plates.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Okay, exactly, yes.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Okay, okay, all right, so you you got a little
bit of pressure here, but that's okay. So people can
make can make their commitment to you, and then once
you get three thousand committed, you're off and running. Okay.
There was a lot that we ironed out here, to
be honest with that you did.
Speaker 5 (16:58):
Because yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I want people to do. I want people to understand
a good cause when we when we present it, and
that's why we went through it with such specificity. So
thanks very much for what you do.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Thank you so much for having me on. If I
could just give it, thank you to all the people
so far that actually registered and continue to register, Canine Strong,
Massachusetts all the way. Amazing, amazing, amazing, Thank you so
much so far. Let's keep getting it done, push it
through the finish line.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Okay. I was afraid you're going to name the eight
hundred people and I wouldn't let you do that. Okay,
Thanks James, talk to you soon. Good Now, we got
news at the bottom of the arm and we come
back to talk about a new well I don't know
if it's new or not, but Europe is now banning
this chemical that is used in some gel nail polishes,
classifying it as a reproductive toxicant. And we will talk
(17:50):
with doctor Farah Farah Mustafa, she's a dermatologist and director
of Laser and Cosmetics a Tough Medical Center. Right after
the News.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
To Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
All right, I'm delighted to welcome back doctor Fara Mustafa.
She's a dermatologist and director of laser and cosmetics at
Tufts Medical Center. Doctor Mustaf, it's been too long. Welcome back.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
Hi, thank you great to be here.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Now tell us about this Europe has decided to ban
this chemical. Uh, it's I guess it's letters are tpo
I have no idea what what that means, but that
chemical is used in some gel nail polishes and its
classified as a reproductive toxic That doesn't sound good. What
(18:46):
are we talking about here? Let's let's let's get right
to the basics.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Hi, Yes, so yes. Tpo Is is a chemical that's
found in gel nail polishes as a photo initiator. Basically,
it's an ingredient that helps when you put your hands
under the UV light. It makes the gel nail polish harden,
and there were some studies that were conducted in rats
that found that when the rats were ingesting these their
(19:12):
males had issues with their sperm and fertility rates, and
it was found to be reproductively toxic. The EU takes
a very kind of like strict approach on these things,
and so they said this is chemicals proven to be harmful.
So therefore, as of September first of this year, they
basically said any any existing stock in any nail salons
(19:34):
can't be used and it's kind of banned from use
in gel nail polish. So they took a pretty hard
line on that because of those animal studies, and it
just raises some questions about, you know, our safety in
our cosmetic products.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
How how long has this chemical been utilized? I mean,
is it self there was just recently introduced or is
it something that women have been and I guess there
are still some men who who do their nails. How
does this How does this play in terms of how
(20:09):
long has it been around?
Speaker 6 (20:11):
So it's been around at least since the nineteen eighties
as as a curing agent, and it's it's not it's
dound in other cosmetic products as well, but this is
one of the primary uses of it. And I think
really the question is, you know, like from our from
the federal agencies or the US based agencies, you know
(20:33):
that is we take more of a hazardous approach as
well as a risk approach. Right, So if you're putting this,
if this chemical is reproductively toxic, but I'm not eating
it the way the rats were in the studies, then
how harmful is it?
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Really?
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Right?
Speaker 6 (20:48):
But you can imagine if someone is routinely getting their
nails done. You know, I know many women, many patients
that come to see me for nail issues are basically
getting their nails done every two weeks and they're using
jill I'll polish, you know, every time that they go in,
or the nail technicians that work in these salons, are
they constantly being exposed. So I think it's you have
to ask yourself a question not only you know, is
(21:10):
this particular thing harmful? But how often are people being
exposed to it? So it's really the duration of exposures
to your question about how long has it been around
and why are we hearing about this now is a
very good one.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
So I assume that this again, I see the phrase
reproductive toxicant, and there's a note here that says would
be a particularly good idea for women of child bearing
age to avoid the jailed nail polish. So there's some
study or there's some application of that.
Speaker 6 (21:41):
I assume, Well, I think that recommendation really comes from
we first don't have human based studies to make, you know,
like a sweeping recommendation. And I think that's why up
until now that you know, our federal or our regulating
agencies haven't taken that stance. But we do have alternatives,
(22:02):
right There are gel mail pulshes that don't have a
TPO in them, and there are other versions of manicures.
Maybe they're not as long lasting as your traditional gel manicure,
but it's an alternative. So I think it's a it's
a good it's a This is a good example of
just educating the public on what they might be exposed
to based on, you know, what stage they are in
(22:23):
their life and how they are interfacing with these cosmetic products.
So when I counseled my patients on it, well, I'm like, well,
if you are in your fifties and you get your
nails done, you know, once a month or once ever.
You know, whenever there's a special occasion, it's probably not
as relevant to you. But again, if you're a young
person in your twenties or in the prime of your
(22:44):
reproductive years, and this is something you're doing routinely, well
maybe it's it's a it's it's worth stopping to consider
what alternatives can I what alternative alternatives can I consider?
But we definitely still need human studies, larger studies to
make definitive conclusions on what is the reproductive toxicity in
humans being exposed to it in this way, basically through
(23:07):
the nails.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Now, one of the argusests we always hear is that
European nations are much more aggressive generally with companies that
deal with these chemical issues. So, in other words, why
would our food and drug administration not be just as aggressive,
(23:32):
Not that we have to rely upon the Europeans, but
why would they not be just as aggressive as the
Europeans on something like this. It seems to me the
sort of thing that people can avoid. You know, you
can still get your still get your nails done. Why
risk And it's almost like the idea of when you're
smoking cigarettes back in the fifties, and sixties. Once the
(23:52):
Surgeon General's report came along, most people or many people said, hey,
it's not worth the risk avoid you know, getting one cancer,
But why do we want to risk it?
Speaker 6 (24:06):
Yeah, I think that that's a that's a great question.
I mean, our our regulatory bodies consider, you know, both
the hazard, so the hazardous nature of the chemical itself,
which we have established it is hazardous, but also the exposure.
So I do agree that the European regulatory agencies are
(24:29):
have kind of more strict guidelines. They're looking at is
this a hazardous chemical? Yes or no? And so yes
it is. So therefore, you know why included in anything.
This is a six billion dollar industry worldwide, So there's
a lot of financial implications, right and if you talk
to local salon owners, I think, you know, it probably
(24:52):
puts them in a bit of a pickle right now.
This is this is these are products that they've been
relying on, and and and one could argue that, you know,
the jail this is kind of what's been used as
kind of the standard. Right, So the gel nail pulshes
that don't have the TPO and them there's some argument
about them not being as good of quality. The colors
don't come out as vivid, so it's definitely in kind
(25:16):
of the top products, and so it is forcing the
industry to kind of shift and come up with alternatives,
which I think is ultimately better for the consumer. But
your points are all great points.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Yeah, it seems to me. And again, I'm not somebody
who I don't get my nails done, and I know
that there are some men who do, but I don't,
and so to me, it's like it doesn't impact me.
Easy for me to say, but I just kind of
imagine if I was someone who had my nails done
and all of a sudden they read about this study,
(25:51):
I would want to know no matter what, because I
just don't see, like this a huge difference between my
wife gets her nails done and oh they look lovely. Okay,
you know, I don't focus on the nails. I don't know.
I don't want to sound sexist here, but I guess
it's a very it's a very important to women that
(26:12):
the nails be as beautiful as possible. I get that,
But at what risk, I guess.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Is the question?
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Yeah, I mean, and it's kind of this agil question
about you know, assuming you know, balancing the risk and
balancing your own individual risk for things, right, so I
guess the reward, whatever the reward exactly exactly. For a
lot of women, you know, hair is really central to
you know, their femininity, and the same goes for nails,
(26:41):
and so if they have this is part of their routine.
This is what makes me look good and feel good.
So it would be, you know, a tough habit to break,
but I think it is. I think it is good
that we have agencies thinking about our best interest so
that we can make the edency decision.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Right.
Speaker 6 (26:57):
Oh, yes, I want to do this or I want
to take this risk. It's now I'm an informed consumer,
and so I think that's it's all about. In medicine,
things are all about informed consent. Right, you take on
and risk. Almost everything has risk, right, So even if
you you know, getting in your car and crossing the
street or you know, so, we don't want to fear
monger or create necessary panic. And there's a good chance,
(27:19):
you know, if again, if you are have minimal exposure
to this, or you're past your reproductive years, or you're
not you know, routinely getting your jail nails done, maybe
the implications for your own personal health is close to zero.
But everybody's situation is a little bit different. And the
important thing, at least from my standpoint, is an informed consent,
(27:40):
like i know what I'm being exposed to, and I've
made this decision because of the information that's been presented
to me, as opposed to you know what you hate
is like, oh well, nobody ever told me this was
an issue. I'm here, I am you know.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
So.
Speaker 6 (27:52):
I think there's like a an important piece of education
of the patient of the concent summer here that really
is at the root of all this.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I mean, probably everything that you and I jest during
the day have some potential negative negative you know, other
than kale, I mean everything else that you're right, whether
it's a glass of wine. Uh. And sometimes the warnings
change back and forth. One year glass of red wine
is good for you, the next year it's not so
good for you. It drives people crazy as well, Doctor Mustafa,
(28:24):
Thank you so much. Doctor Fara Mustafa, dermatologist, director of
the Laser and Cosmetics at Tuff's Medical Center. Thanks so
much for your time. You're a great guest and you
never disappoint Thank you so much.
Speaker 6 (28:36):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Okay, when we get back, we're going to talk very
seriously about a Milford firefighter, John Hennessy, who spent a
lifetime of service with the Milford Fire Department and now
he needs a little help. He needs a life saving kidney.
We'll talk about that struggle and that search right after this.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
It's Night Side with.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
FoST's Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
All right, I am delighted to welcome retired Milford firefighter
John Hennessy. John, I want you to know I received
the note from someone who heard about your set of circumstances.
Didn't provide me with a lot of information, but we
were able to track you down through David Reichs. Welcome
(29:24):
to Nightside, sir. How are you doing?
Speaker 4 (29:25):
First of all, thanks for having me, Dan doing okay
right now? The whole thing is I need a kidney
and that's what it's all pulling into me right now.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
So let's just get a little background. How long did
you serve on the Milford Fire.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Department thirty two years? That was a great firefighter.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
And did you retire before the kidney problems presented themselves
or did you retire and all of a sudden early
in your retirement, you realize you got a real battle
on your hands.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
I retired in twenty fourteen and this was just diagnosed
to me the beginning of this year. I had some
concerns to my doctor. I went to see a nephrologist,
doctor David lou and it all started up with a
biopsy and then from Mary. I was seen at UMass
in Worcester and they told me that my levels were
(30:25):
very low. And that's where I am right now.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
So just for the benefit of people out there, you know, obviously,
if you've worked for thirty two years and you're retired
in twenty fourteen, I assume you've had a pretty healthy
life to work as a firefighter for all those years
and enjoy about ten years of retirement before this problem
lay that at your doorstep.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
I did, at least I thought, so Dan, to get
to this point, Now, what.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Were the symptoms that alerted you. It wasn't you figured
out that you had an issue. It wasn't something that
was discovered and just an annual physical or something like that.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
It was for my blood work. Doctor questioned it once
that when I had last year that a test came
back and the numbers were askew for my age. I'm
sixty seven, and he felt that they maybe had a
problem with the lab. No, we redid it again and
the numbers came back exactly where they were and it
(31:28):
wasn't the lab, it was me. So he moved forward
to see if there was anything else we could do.
His first concern was possibly getting me into a dialysis unit,
and that kind of scared me because I didn't think
I was that bad. But since since January, my numbers
have steadily. As they said, it's fluctuation. I'm at a
(31:49):
twenty percent right now, and for some only my age,
I should probably be about twenty percent higher. But circumstances
being like that, that's that's where I am right now.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Okay, just wll make sure you have you have two kidneys,
so one is fine and you got to find a
match for the one that is not not doing the job.
But that's your.
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Situation unfortunately both of them. That's that's where it comes
down to. And look, that's why I'm looking for the
donor right now. I've on live on the list for
nine months. But the doctor set up I could find
a good, you know, good match for myself that they'd
be able to, you know, do the transplant on me.
(32:32):
And the hottest thing right now is I don't have siblings.
I was an only child. Unfortunately I did have family members.
I have two daughters and a son. Unfortunately they are
not compatible with me. The only one I have is
my youngest child, my daughter, but she just recently diagnosed
with cancer, so she cannot do anything for me for
(32:54):
another three years because she needs to be five years
or when they should be cancer free. So that is
an option right now. It's just the best thing I
could hope for us to find a donor. And I
did reach out through the National Fall and Firefighters Foundation
for Kidneys for Community dot org and I'm start of
the campaign. I believe Dave Rakee he worth a hell
(33:17):
of a campaign piece for me, and that's what I'm
going with right now. And I had an article in
the Milfa Daily News from another local reporter and hoping
to find somebody that may be help me.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Yeah, this is not the first type story that we've
done on Night's side. There was a Red Sox pitcher
a few years ago, Jeff Plimpton, who needed a kidney
in his fifties, and he was able to get that
kidney and you know it's you know, there's a bunch
(33:52):
of organs, but this is one. So people, if people
would like to, they have to do some sort of
a blood test themselves to determined compatibility. Is that what
someone would have to do.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Yes, that's the start, that's the shop down. Actually, if
they wanted to reach out to the website kidneys for
Community dot dot org uh and go to my report,
they can reach out through that to say they want
to be tested for me. I've had success so far
with quite a few other ones. We haven't got a
match yet. Yeah, hoping that that will happen. But the
(34:28):
more like doing this with you tonight, hopefully get the
word out that maybe there wouldn't be somebody out there.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Okay, So so the website, it's a national website, is
called kidneys.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
Is it kidney Communities.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Kidney kidney four communities dot org. Yes, kidney again, I
stepped on you there. From an audio point of view,
is it k I d any y or k I
d any y s for communities.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
For multiple kidneys for community gotch okay?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Fine? Plural Kidneys for communit Unities plural dot org uh.
And they would have to just so people can understand this,
they would have to probably go to their own doctor's
office to have the blood drawer or something like that.
It's not as if they would have to go, you know,
somewhere in New York or something. No, it's no, okay,
(35:18):
Once it would be it would be self explanatory.
Speaker 5 (35:22):
Right, it would.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
It would be for that they'd be able to set
somebody up to be able to give them all the
information that you know. The first step is to get
UH screening, get tested UH and then go from there.
They have a really elaborate system for the donor. They're
very well taken care of. They need to be the
ones because they're basically given and gifts all life to me.
Speaker 6 (35:42):
UH.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
They have to make sure that everything is good for
them for me.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
I know that the Boston Herald UH did did a
lot for a fellow former school committee member, John Nucci,
who needed a kidney as well. So you may reach
out to them as well. They're they're they're very in
tuned with this as I am, and I sure hope
we can help you. So I just wish it. I
(36:08):
wish you the best of luck. I got a pretty
good feeling about it. John, You've done a lot for
other people, and what goes around comes around, and hopefully
the good you've done will come around and provide you
with this life saving kidney. So please keep us posting.
If anything comes out of it, we'd love to be
able to celebrate it with you.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
That sounds really good.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Okay, Thanks John Hennessy. Thank you for your courage, and
thank you for your service to the Milford to the
people of Milford and surrounding communities thirty two years as
of hire Fighter. You're welcome, John, Thanks again. Okay, we
come back. We're going to talk first about reading problems
and reading problems that exist in Massachusetts schools. Public schools.
The kids are falling behind and something has to be done,
(36:54):
and we're going to talk with the former Boston School
Committee member Mary Tamer about a new piece of legislation
that I think has to turn things around. I have
strong feelings on this, as you probably can figure out,
and we'll talk about those, and we'll also talk with
Mary Tamer right after the nine o'clock news and later
on tonight late night talk show host has been suspended
for remarks that were made he made regarding the recent
(37:18):
assassination of a Charlie Kirk. We could go today and
it's a big story. We'll get to that. That was
a lead breaking story just as we were coming on
the air tonight back on Night's Out, after this
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