A teenager is fighting kidney failure linked to consuming McDonald’s Quarter Pounders shortly before the fast food chain’s E. coli outbreak.
A 15-year-old girl in Colorado is facing serious health issues after eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounders in the weeks before a deadly E. coli outbreak.
Kamberlyn Bowler, a freshman at Grand Junction High School and a passionate softball player was once a healthy teenager.
However, her life took a sudden turn this October.
The teen suffered from unusual symptoms
In mid-October, Kamberlyn began feeling unwell. Initially, she experienced flu-like symptoms, including a high fever and stomach pain.
Her mother, Brittany Randall, recalled that they thought it might just be a common illness, something like the flu or a stomach bug.
But soon, Kamberlyn’s condition worsened significantly.
“We both kind of thought I just had a fever, like just the flu or something — a stomach bug,” Kamberlyn said.
“But then I started throwing up, having diarrhea, and it was bloody, so it scared me,” the teen added.
She started vomiting and having severe diarrhea, which alarmed her mother.
After a visit to their local doctor, they were told it could be a problem with her appendix.
They were advised to go to the emergency room for further evaluation.
However, the scans at the hospital showed no significant issues, and they returned home.
Despite this, Kamberlyn’s symptoms continued to get worse.
Six days later, she insisted on going back to the hospital because she felt that something was very wrong.
“I think it was day six that she said: ‘Something’s not right. I don’t feel good. So we need to go back to the hospital,’” her mother shared.
Teen battles kidney failure after eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounder
During this second visit, doctors conducted tests and discovered she was in kidney failure due to a severe E. Coli infection.
Kamberlyn was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can result from an E. coli infection.
This condition causes the bacteria to attack the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure.
Soon after her diagnosis, she was airlifted 250 miles to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora for urgent treatment.
At the hospital, Kamberlyn received dialysis for ten days to help her kidneys.
Her mother described the experience as a roller coaster, with new tests and challenges every day.
“It’s been definitely a roller coaster from the time that we’ve gotten here until now. Every day has been new tests or new things that pop up, or it’s basically watching her body just not work,” Teen’s mom said.
They learned that Kamberlyn had visited McDonald’s several times before becoming ill.
She consistently ordered her favorite meal: a Quarter Pounder with cheese and extra pickles.
The fast food chain’s deadly E.coli outbreak.
The outbreak linked to the Quarter Pounders has affected at least 75 people, with 22 requiring hospitalization.
Tragically, one person has died due to this outbreak, which has been traced back to slivered onions used on the burgers.
Eleven cases have been reported in Kamberlyn’s home county of Mesa.
As Kamberlyn fights for her health, her mother expressed deep concern about the long-term effects of the infection.
“She went from being super healthy and no issues at all to possibly kidney damage for her whole life,” Randall told the outlet.
They are hopeful that her kidneys are beginning to show some signs of recovery, but it remains uncertain how much damage has already been done.
In response to the outbreak, McDonald’s has expressed their sadness regarding the situation.
A spokesperson stated that such stories are devastating and emphasized their commitment to customer safety.
In light of the outbreak, McDonald’s has pulled Quarter Pounders from their menus temporarily, but they plan to resume sales without the slivered onions.
The family considered taking legal action against McDonald’s
Due to the circumstances surrounding Kamberlyn’s illness, her family is now considering legal action against McDonald’s.
They are not alone; multiple lawsuits have already been filed concerning the E. coli outbreak linked to the fast-food chain.
Food poisoning attorney Ron Simon, who is representing Kamberlyn and others, noted that he has received numerous inquiries since the outbreak began.
“It’s going to be a lot more cases in this outbreak than 75,” Simon said.
After federal health agencies reported the outbreak, visits to McDonald’s dropped significantly.
Customer traffic fell by 6.4% nationwide, with even larger declines in Colorado.