Michael McAuliff
Veterans of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and cleanup who are stricken with cancer had their hopes dashed Tuesday -- at least temporarily -- of having their illness included among those eligible for help from the government.
Under the new James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act -- which does not cover cancer -- the administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program must periodically review whether cancer can be linked to the 9/11 attacks or cleanup, and added to the list of diseases responders can get help for.
The first such review was released Tuesday, and found there was no basis -- yet -- to add the disease, and that much more study still needs to be done, even 10 years after the horrendous attacks.
Advocates for 9/11 responders were disappointed, but latched onto the promise of further review.
"They couldn't find the evidence, but we have the evidence and we have the statistics," said John Feal, a 9/11 worker who runs the FealGood Foundation.
He pointed to the most tragic proof possible: "We have the funerals," Feal said. "I've been to 53 funerals, and 51 of them were for cancer."
He's counting on several studies being done currently to confirm his belief, including at least one that he expected would be finished in the early fall.
Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/26/911-health-czar-cancer-link_n_909931.html
No comments:
Post a Comment