“Cancer Cluster” Suspected at Downtown Schools

At least 12 former students who attended schools south of Canal Street on 9/11, or during the eight months that followed, have filed claims with the federal government for World Trade Center-related cancers. Dozens of others have been diagnosed with well-recognized 9/11 respiratory illnesses. Scores of teachers have fallen ill, and, tragically, many have died from their WTC illnesses. They are all seeking compensation from the Victim Compensation Fund.

A “cancer cluster” is how some doctors are describing the heartbreaking revelation to their patients.

The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) asked me to join them at a press conference to help bring awareness to the critical and growing issue of students and teachers stricken with 9/11-related illnesses.

As I explained to the public and the press, “A 28-year-old girl should have not breast cancer. A 29-year-old boy should not have colon cancer or bladder cancer.”

More and more people in the 9/11 community continue to pay the price for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) misguided reassurances, just days after the attacks, that the air was safe. Anxious to reassure the public, eager to encourage New Yorkers to return to their normal routines, and no doubt under pressure to ensure that Wall Street would reopen by the Monday, people were encouraged to return. Since the attacks, the EPA’s false and premature pronouncement has caused immeasurable damage to the health of downtown residents, office workers, students and teachers.

Thousands of innocent children and teachers, who were at one of the 12 public schools south of Canal Street, heeded the EPA’s assurances. Their only mistake was believing the EPA when it said “the air is safe.” When the medical examiner conducted the autopsy of our client NYPD Detective James Zadroga, who spent 200 hours at Ground Zero, he discovered ground glass and a host of carcinogens in Jimmy’s lungs. This was the evidence that doctors needed to link dozens of respiratory illnesses and 68 cancers to the carcinogens, including jet fuel, pulverized building materials, cement dust, asbestos, dioxins, and more.

Everyone was exposed to the same toxins as the first responders.

Please feel free to click the links below to see my interviews on NY1 and Fox 5. This is such a heartbreaking and important topic, that the NY Post and NY Daily News put the story on their front pages.

Please encourage your neighbors and friends to enroll in the World Trade Center Health Program or contact us and we will be happy to register them. Early detection can save your life.

With sincere respect and warm regards,
Michael Barasch

News stories:

• NY1 – 16 YEARS LATER: IN NEED OF HELP
• NBC 4 NY – Former NYC Students Say Cancer Is From 9/11 Debris
• New York Post – Cancer cluster at top NYC school near Ground Zero, grad says
• WNYW – FOX5 NY – Former student suspects her cancer is 9/11-related; she is not alone