WNY nurse focuses on fighting lead poisoning

LACKWANNA, N.Y. — A Western New York nurse took matters into her own hands when concerns about lead poisoning increased in Buffalo Public Schools in 2022. She now has her own physical clinical laboratory , which will soon be a community health center.

Francesca Gidney transported a COVID cart and conducted testing in schools two years ago. Today, her passion for one-on-one patient care has become a permanent space at Lackawanna.

The Buffalo Clinical Laboratory, located at 2371 South Park Ave., offers laboratory testing while Gidney closely monitors possible lead exposure in patients.

“We will never abandon the initiative to detect lead exposure, prevent lead exposure and provide information related to lead exposure,” Gidney said.

For each person who arrives, Gidney pays attention to the person’s current and previous zip codes in case they live in a hotspot. If so, she follows up to see if any children live in the house. These efforts aim to trace sources of possible lead exposure in the community and provide people with appropriate treatment.

Lead poisoning can come from drinking water, bath water, or paint chips and dust.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, it can cause anemia, high blood pressure and kidney problems in adults.

In children, this can manifest as behavioral problems, learning difficulties, and hyperactivity.

“You have a child who is agitated at school and you don’t understand why, and they just can’t explain it to you, but they don’t feel well. They can’t pay attention to it. This child could be diagnosed with ADHD, but that’s not the case,” Gidney said.

The initial test for lead is a finger prick. If lead is found in the blood, Gidney said she will order blood tests. From there, the Department of Health is contacted and the patient is treated for lead poisoning.

The damage is irreversible, but it can be mitigated by appropriate measures, such as removing populations from the environment and replacing lead infrastructure.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced $129 million in funding to New York State for lead pipe replacement and drinking water improvements.