9/11 REMEMBRANCE SERIES 2: Richard Marrone and the 9/11 Cancer Resource Group

9/11 REMEMBRANCE SERIES (pt2)
Written by: Lizbieta Sansal & Carmen R. Dewitt (Editorial staff @ AwarenessforaCure.org)

Richard Marrone is a career veteran with the NY Fire Department, an active Emergency Medical Technician for the FDNY and a first responder at 9/11.  He spent a significant amount of time in Ground Zero since the attack treating all responders and civilian victims while being directly exposed to the deadly air and toxic dust that affected (and continue to affect) so many thousands. His 9/11 experiences alongside all his colleagues in the FDNY, NYPD and other city workers who risked their very lives and well-being are now part of an ongoing health concern as supported by The James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act and public programs like the WTC Health program and the Victims Compensation Fund alongside an extensive list of other dedicated organizations. (see list of charitable funds).

IGNITING THE NEW 9/11 CANCER RESOURCE MISSION 

In June of 2018, Mr. Marrone and wife Gina volunteered at an LI2DAY breast cancer fundraiser in Shirley, Long Island.  They were assigned to manage the raffle table where one of the prizes was a cancer screening at an advanced cancer imaging facility @ Bard Cancer Diagnostics endorsed by Awareness for a Cure (AFAC) and the NY Cancer Resource Alliance (NYCRA).  As caregivers to cancer survivors, it did not take long for the Marrones to engage the medical sponsors and inquire about the scanning technology on the raffle table-- a 3D/4D Doppler Ultrasonic Cancer program donated and conducted Dr. Robert bard himself (one of the industry’s pioneers in advanced cancer imaging technology.) 

As a city employee, Mr. Marrone was part of the first groups to be certified with the World Trade Center Health Program.  Moreover, he maintained a proactive level of caution about regular checkups in response to the high levels of toxicity potential carcinogens in the 9/11 dust that plagued everyone exposed.  He expressed even more concern about the many new “surprise” cancer cases that are now beginning to appear, 15+ years later.   Being an EMT as well as having continued health concerns from his experiences in Ground Zero, Mr. Marrone’s interest and personal insight to the concerns of ALL responders led to deeper exchange with the cancer imaging directors and soon became the establishment of a major public health outreach project and support network called the 911CancerScan program. "Being a ground zero worker seems like we all have this life-long target on our backs that at any given moment, something is going to hit us - we just don't know WHEN", says Mr. Marrone. "The best thing you could do for yourself is to stay on top of your checkups, keep asking a lot of questions and stay alert for trends in the news as far as what's in recent health reports."

(See more about GETTING CERTIFIED)

BUILT AND INSPIRED BY CAREGIVERS

AFAC co-founder Dr. Jesse Stoff and other medical colleagues gained tremendous understanding from the public presence of organizations such as the FealGood Foundation (an international advocacy and fundraising group for 9/11 responders) and united more allies to better reach and help the many survivors of the WTC disaster.  As part of a collaborative effort, Dr. Stoff witnessed firsthand a new influx of cancer patients in his office and in the news as a sign of the impending "dormant cancers" finally coming out.

Another connection who contributed valuable insight to the establishment of this 9/11 Cancer resource was Mr. Michael Barasch (of Barasch & McGarry, NYC) - a seasoned attorney whose career became focused on the many related cases affected by ground zero. Mr. Barasch is recognized in the community for his extensive knowledge, his guidance and support in helping individuals get certified towards receiving the right healthcare and compensation.  His law firm is busier than ever because of the (still) unreported victims who need certification and the many new cases of cancer and other types of  illnesses from 9/11. 

"I know that there was a latency period", says Mr. Barasch. "There's a real danger because while the Heath Program was reauthorized for 70 years, the victim fund, the compensation fund was only authorized for five years, and it's going to expire at the end of 2020. Well, guess what? The doctors tell me and I'm seeing it in my office, people continue to get sick, to get cancers, and to die at alarming rates... Congress has to do the right thing by extending the victim compensation fund, because people aren't going to stop getting sick, they're certainly not going to stop dying. So we've got to take care of these families whose spouse, whose father, whose husband, or whatever it is... the only thing these people did wrong was believe the EPA when they said the area is safe."

Empowered by the strength of an alliance with such experienced crusaders came a local outreach effort and the published reports of new numbers of cancer cases from the CDC indicating the rising health risks to all 9/11 related patients.  AFAC also began connecting with more and more responders (firefighters in particular) in part to review the community’s well-being with regard to the many public and private treatment options they have undergone.

RAISING GILDA & "THE SECOND OPINION PROGRAM"

Another ingredient that helped establish the 911CancerScan program design was inspired by various non-profit foundations. Gilda’s Club of NYC, an endorsed partner of AFAC carried the legacy of the late Gilda Radner and her worldwide message of patient advocacy.  Director Lennard Gettz crafted a program uniting this message of seeking efficient professionals with advanced credentials and offering greater resources to provide alternative support (alongside all existing solutions) and a SECOND OPINION with the hopes of bringing new answers to those touched by cancer. It is this very philosophy that helped to drive the introduction of modalities such as Cancer Immunology, Insulin Potentiation Therapy, Chelation Therapy, Genetic Testing and a host of other non-invasive advancements and innovations that are outside of the conventional menu of clinical cancer treatments.

Patient advocacy responds to anyone concerned about pending illnesses (like Cancer) or have been recently diagnosed. The 9/11 CancerScan program was established to support the philosophy of THE SECOND OPINION. For anyone curious about what other treatment options another oncologist might prescribe, this program invites the opportunity to safely receive one of a variety of advanced diagnostic scanning or (non-invasive) screening exams and get a fresh new diagnostic perspective to  your health status.  For any patient seeking peace of mind or at least a wider perspective on a major commitment as cancer care, this additional resource brings added confidence and more intelligent decision-making by expanding the list of professional options on the patient's side.

(End of Part 1)

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9/11 REMEMBRANCE pt1: Featuring John Feal- WTC Crusader for First Responders

9/11 REMEMBRANCE SERIES (pt1)
Written By: Dr. Jesse Stoff | Edited by: Carmen Regallo-Dewitt of Awareness for a Cure

"A true leader is an ambassador of HOPE,
finding STRENGTH from adversity and INSPIRATION
from anguish..." 
- the unknown soldier

Since 2005, JOHN FEAL and his FealGood Foundation has been tirelessly bringing public support to the many first responders who risked their lives in Ground Zero.  To this day, he continues to wear the many hats he needs to fulfill his mission from FUNDRAISER for the VCF (Victim’s Compensation Fund) to ADVOCATE and PUBLISHER of a non-profit RESOURCE CATALOGUE of all related 9/11 support services and LOBBYIST in Washington for the support of all public resources and compensation venues. The FealGood Foundation is one of the largest national organizations carrying the torch of ambassadorship for the many who selflessly risked their lives while defending the benefits of first responders and survivors of 9/11.

John Feal was a demolition worker for a private east coast company and was called by one of the largest contracting firms to perform cleanup starting on 9/12.  He spent a total of five days on site but his commitment was cut short on the 17th when 8,000 pounds of a steel beam crushed his left foot- resulting in the amputation of half of his foot from gangrene. “I spent 10 weeks in the hospital fighting for my life… but how bad do I really have it? I lost half my left foot when there are people that lost way more than that!”

According to John, his list of injuries also included surgeries on his right foot, right knee, and left hip.  To date, he is arthritic in over 80% of his body and four doctors have diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder.  Like many other responders, John Feal suffers from acid reflux and Gerd.  He finds cathartic benefit in helping others as he ‘deals with his own 9/11 demons’.

Mr. Feal’s will to take part in his community did not end with his injury. In fact, many considered it to be a remarkable kick-starter of his passion (what he calls his “kryptonite”) to launch his public pursuits to do so much more for so many others.  His foundation is recognized today for bringing aid to the many dedicated workers who tirelessly risked their health in what he considers a never-ending nightmare of a job. “Destruction and devastation-- you're just not programmed to wake up in the morning and see that kind of devastation. But what gets me every time… is the SMELL.  If I shut my eyes long enough I will smell ground zero, and I think for most 9/11 responders (and first responders) the smell is what gets us. It's the smell that was so uncanny, and the smell had a picture. It truly represents the worst devastation I've ever encountered-- It brings me to my knees!”

TOXIC SOUP: WHAT ABOUT CANCERS?
When asked about his exposure to cancerous materials, “…not in me-  not yet, knock on wood! But that doesn't mean I'm not ... Listen, everybody who doesn't have cancer from 9/11 is looking over their shoulder when they're going to get cancer from 9/11. There's over 7,000 people right now that have a certified 9/11 cancer, so says the federal government. There's over 83,000 people in the World Trade Center Health Program that are being treated or monitored. Over half of that 83,000 that are being treated for more than one illness. There's 433 out of 435 congressional districts in the United States that somebody was represented at ground zero during the 10-month cleanup. This is a generation long thing, and until the last person who dies from a 9/11 related illness, this is going to go on for the next 30, 40, 50 years.”

According to Mr. Feal, out of 435 congressional districts in the United States, 433 of them were represented at ground zero (sans congressional district from Alaska and California). He tracked and watched Americans as a whole contributed and participated in ground zero during the 10 month cleanup. Out of the over 83,000 people in the WTC Health Program that are either being monitored or treated for their illness, an estimated 50% are being treated for more than one illness now. There's over 7,000 people with a 9/11 related cancer that's been certified by the federal government saying, "Yes, 9/11 has caused your illness." Roughly 2,000 people have passed away from a 9/11 related illness, whether it's one of the extensive types of cancers or pulmonary fibrosis.

 “A short period after 9/11, the (then) EPA Director Christine Todd Whitman made headlines for her erroneous announcement that “the air in the WTC area was safe to breathe” … we were not given the proper respiratory gear or the protection to wear. If you notice that 9/11 workers in the pentagon wore hazmat suits-- that just didn't happen in NYC’s ground zero. The adsorption to it in those amounts in skin while we worked on the pile, we slept on the pile, we cried on the pile, we went to the bathroom, we ate there, we were exposed. Each and every individual toxin, if you took and put it in a bottle, you'd have a skull and crossbones saying "Harmful if swallowed, consult a physician." Now put them all together you had a toxic soup that no scientist, doctor has ever witnessed before. This is unprecedented. The presumption of just us being there, it should've been done, these bills should've been passed earlier in Congress or Albany or anywhere. They should've gotten off their &%$*!@s and not put politics in front of human life, because that's what happened for a decade. It took that long. That's left a chip on my shoulder and left me angry.”

According to Feal, in 2010 when the Zadroga bill passed, there were no cancers recognized or identified with 9/11. But by 2011, the FealGood Foundation and other groups petitioned the 2011 technical advisory committee and got four cancers added to the bill. Since then, 68 cancers have been added to the bill-- a major victory allowing epidemiology to work the 10-40 year curve to do their studies. All cancers from blood, brain, lung, liver, thyroid and skin cancer are the top cancers in the 9/11 community.

“We're on the cusp of the asbestos cancer's coming, because that takes 20 years on average to manifest in the body, and we're now going on year 17. I predict (that) a third of the 9/11 community gets asbestos cancer… including me, I'm not immune to that. These illnesses are real, and this is our reality and nobody can distort what happened on 9/11!”- says Feal.

END OF PART 1
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FEALGOOD IS CONTAGIOUS!

Meet the Next Crusaders from 911CancerScan

John Feal's outreach efforts to connect with all first responders to "get certified" helped so many survivors receive the right health care treatment, compensation and resources.  But he didn't stop there; Mr. Feal's work also inspired the rise of many new treatment centers, educational programs and philanthropic groups to support potential cancer victims and survivors from 9/11. This includes the non-profit advocacy group called AwarenessforaCure.org and the NY CANCER RESOURCE ALLIANCE - whose clinical members helped form the 9/11CancerScan. Such groups help pass the word about the many new cancers and other health disorders that are just now (almost 2 decades later) coming to light since 2001.  Fellow survivors-turned-crusaders from the 9/11CancerScan group are reaching out to all city workers, responders and civilians to extend public support and new information about impending health emergencies.  (See complete article on Richard Marrone and the inspiration behind the 9/11 CancerScan Program)

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About the author:
DR. JESSE A. STOFF is the medical director for Integrative Medicine of NY (Westbury) and an internationally renowned physician with extensive credentials in clinical immunology and holistic medicine. A graduate of New York Medical College, he pursued extensive post-doctoral training including a fellow- ship at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital in London, England. Dr. Stoff published over 9 books {including co-authoring the bestsellers Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Hidden Epidemic and The Prostate Miracle} and over 250 articles on health & wellness. He has spoken worldwide in some of the most sought-after medical conferences about his experiences and analyses on the study of human disease.  His recent publications include the magazine IMMUNOLOGY TODAY and the medical text INTEGRATIVE ONCO-IMMUNOLOGY which is being distributed and accessed by medical colleges today.


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