Hi Patricia,

My name is Kirsten Kearse and I am a photojournalism student at Central Michigan University. I am in an online visual journalism class and I was extremely interested in doing a video piece on a hoarder. I was wondering if you could ask your neighbor if she would be interested in letting me interview her and tell her story because I feel if could be a really great story. Thank you so much for you time.

~Kirsten Kearse

82 yr old woman lives in deplorable conditions in South Carolina - hoarding up to the ceiling in every room and on the staircase leading to bedroom. Admits she has no heat or hot water. She does have electricity. Daytime lives in her car reading, opening mail, eating meals.
She 'keeps up appearances' in her public appearances, is well educated and highly intelligent and too proud or scared to accept offers to help. However she knows she has a problem as has admitted she has no heat and cannot use space heaters as needs 3-4 ft of space around it. Suspect she is also 'on the edge' financially as she is not eating properly.
She lives in an upscale townhouse complex. Her townhouse adjoins others and I fear the safety of others 'on the block' as well as herself as it appears all of this paper is a fire hazard.

Who should we call? Are there any town services (social services) or code enforcement officers who can help in South Carolina (Georgetown-Grand Strand area)?