WTC Health Program

9/11 first responders who worked on search-and-rescue and recovery efforts in Lower Manhattan are at risk of suffering from cognitive impairment as a result of their exposure to Ground Zero toxins.   A recent study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that Ground Zero-related mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress […]

There are currently 68 types of cancer and several respiratory illnesses presumed linked to the WTC toxins. The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) provide free health care and compensation, respectively, for these 68 cancers and a host of respiratory illnesses. WTCHP also covers acute traumatic injuries, mental […]

Nearly 3,000 people were killed on 9/11.  In the years since then, more first responders and survivors have passed away from 68 different types of cancer and respiratory illnesses than passed away on that day. Others are living with the mental health consequences of trauma, nearly 20 years after the attacks, including many people who […]

June marks National Cancer Survivor Month, honoring the 17 million Americans who are living with, through, and beyond their illness. Their strength and perseverance should inspire us. This group includes people who were exposed to Ground Zero toxins on or after 9/11, dramatically increasing their risk of developing 68 different types of cancer. In the […]

Hundreds of community members gathered recently on Deserre Avenue in Staten Island for its renaming as Leif Eikeseth Way, in honor of an Army veteran, transit worker, and 9/11 first responder who passed away of cancer after his exposure to Ground Zero toxins. Leif Eikeseth, a 36-year veteran of the New York City Transit, was […]

We recognize Brain Tumor Awareness Month in May, calling attention to the nearly 25,000 people who will be diagnosed with malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord this year in the United States. This number tragically includes many 9/11 first responders and survivors who were exposed to Ground Zero toxins in Lower Manhattan on […]