### Teen Hospitalized With Severe E. Coli Complications Linked to McDonald's

A 15-year-old high school freshman from Grand Junction, Colorado, is currently hospitalized with severe complications of food poisoning linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers. Kamberlyn Bowler had consumed the burgers three times in the weeks prior to a deadly E. coli outbreak being identified.

Kamberlyn had to be urgently flown to a hospital near Denver in mid-October, where she underwent dialysis for 10 days in a critical attempt to save her kidneys. She is one of at least 75 people affected and among the 22 hospitalized due to the outbreak. In Mesa County, where Kamberlyn resides, 11 people have been sickened and one person has died. Federal health officials believe slivered onions used on the burgers are the likely source of the contamination.

The terrifying experience has left Kamberlyn's mother, Brittany Randall, extremely worried about her daughter’s health. The notion that a popular fast food chain could serve food harmful enough to induce such severe consequences is deeply unsettling for her. "It's pretty scary to know that we put so much faith and trust that we're going to be eating something that's healthy and for it to be broken," Randall stated. She is now preparing to sue the fast-food giant after Kamberlyn was confirmed to be infected by the E. coli O157: H7 bacteria, the same strain involved in the outbreak.

Medical specialists explain that E. coli O157: H7 produces a harmful toxin which can lead to a severe kidney disease complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. According to Dr. Myda Khalid, a kidney specialist at Riley Hospital for Children in Indiana, though not involved in Kamberlyn’s care, the condition is critical but most children do recover. The urgency of the situation means every passing moment is crucial.

Kamberlyn Bowler became ill after consuming McDonald's Quarter Pounders with cheese, extra pickles, and onions between September 27 and October 8. She described the convenience of grabbing the burgers during events like football halftime and school softball games. However, days later, she was severely ill with symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and painful stomach cramps.

Initially, Randall, a jail guard and mother of three older children, assumed her young daughter had the flu. It wasn't until Kamberlyn reported blood in her stool and urine and was vomiting blood that Randall realized the severity of the situation. Kamberlyn's condition continued to deteriorate, and by October 17, tests confirmed she had acute kidney failure, leading to her being flown to Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora.

Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's chairman, president, and CEO, expressed deep concern over the outbreak on a Tuesday investor call. "Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our customers," he said, acknowledging the distress caused by the E. coli cases.

Randall remains anxious about her daughter’s future health and the mounting medical expenses. "The hospital bills are racking up," she said. "And I'm a single mom and I just don't know that I can necessarily afford all of what's coming after all of this. And I don't know what the future looks like, either."