WTC Health Program

Today, we honor the extraordinary legacy of NYPD Detective Luis G. Alvarez, a 9/11 hero whose testimony persuaded Congress to establish permanent compensation benefits for 9/11 victims and their families, on the sixth anniversary of his passing. Detective Alvarez, who appeared before Congress with comedian and 9/11 advocate Jon Stewart, died only 18 days later, of colorectal cancer he […]

June is National Cancer Survivors Month. There are more than 17 million cancer survivors in the United States today, including thousands of 9/11 community members. If you are diagnosed with any 9/11-related cancer or respiratory illness, Barasch & McGarry can help you access resources through the free World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF).  […]

Today, June 11, we remember the sixth anniversary of NYPD Detective Luis Alvarez testifying in Congress, where he successfully advocated for permanent free health care and compensation benefits for 9/11 victims and their families. A 9/11 hero, Detective Alvarez appeared before Congress weakened by the colorectal cancer he developed from his exposure to Ground Zero toxins at […]

Today, May 28, 2025, is the eighth anniversary of FDNY Firefighter Raymond J. Pfeifer’s passing. He was 59 years old. A 9/11 hero and Barasch & McGarry client, Pfeifer worked tirelessly to persuade Congress to establish permanent health and compensation benefits for 9/11 community members with cancer or respiratory illness and their families. After the terrorist attacks on September […]

Anyone exposed to toxins on or after 9/11 at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, or the Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania has an increased risk of developing 69 different types of cancer. The most common cancers for 9/11 responders and survivors are skin cancer, including melanoma, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. […]

May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. Anyone who was exposed to Ground Zero toxins on or during the eight months following 9/11 has a significantly higher risk of developing 69 different types of cancer, including bladder cancer. A report from the American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 85,000  Americans will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2025. […]