Despite the major health scare of the 9/11 latent cancer threats and case loads appearing in the news, there are still major cases that have yet to be met and diagnosed clinically (from first responders and survivors alike). Some illnesses continue to stay dormant, others are just beginning to peer their lethal symptoms now.ACCOUNTABILITY
Being certified with the WTC Health Program validates your illness as a 9/11 illness for the sake of future compensation and access to paid care by the VCF (Victims Compensation Fund). The WTC Health Program started on July 1, 2011, and according to the CDC, 56,204 Responders were and 4,762 Survivors are the latest certified count. This does not show the many residents in the peripheral areas around ground zero who are recognizing similar illnesses a decade or so later.
BEHAVIOR OF TOXIC DUST & THE EXPOSURE RADIUS
According to cancer immunologist, Dr. Jesse Stoff, "everything starts in the lungs". As the tower area was burning (120-150 degrees) for 99 days, smoldering toxic grains and atomized airborne micro-fragments were making their way to the airways of every person that spent a significant amount of time in the direct blast area. But the same micrograins also traveled wherever the wind chose to take them on any given day - through the windows and vent shafts of the many commercial and residential buildings as far recorded as 1.5 miles west (Brooklyn direction) of the blast area.
"While designing the 911CancerScan Program, we all had the honor of meeting some first responders- the finest gems of our society whom I never would have known about if not for an historical tragedy," states Lennard Gettz, outreach program director. "Firefighters, paramedics and police officers who all put their lives and their health last to rescue the many victims of the falling WTC towers of 9/11. For each of them, the WTC attacks are still going on- this time within their own physical well-being. Each responder had enough exposure to the toxic dust of ground zero to display latent symptoms of one or various complex illnesses."
Whether you are a first responder, avolunteer, a general citizen/survivor or a responder at Shanksville, PA/Pentagon, click here TO APPLY TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER HEALTH PROGRAM, VISIT CDC.GOV
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/ataglance.html#memberZadroga
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/911health/enrollees/9-11-health-and-compensation-act-faq.page
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/11/9-11-illnesses-death-toll
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4686342/
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp068287
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-12/documents/wtc_report_20030821.pdf
