Free Mesothelioma Information Packet
Enter your information to receive a comprehensive mesothelioma packet free of charge at your doorstep within 24 hours.
Florida Community Facing Higher-than-Normal Cancer Rates
An investigation into the cause of a cluster of cancer incidents in Florida's St. Lucie County is still ongoing, despite the fact that the incident occurred nearly a decade ago. In the late 1990s, the Florida Department of Health started an investigation after a large number of cancer cases with similar victims were reported. In St. Lucie County during that brief period, 28 children developed cancers of the brain and central nervous system.
Well and soil testing wrapped up last week, and officials hope that they will soon be able to explain what caused this rash of incidents.
Throughout the 20th Century, various American communities have been rocked by similar incidents. In Toms River, New Jersey, one cancer cluster was reported where many children developed cancers due to a chemical leak into the water table. In Ashland, Massachusetts, a group of children developed cancer linked to waste from an area dye plant. And in Libby, Montana, hundreds have been killed due to the mining operations in town that forced asbestos into the air. Asbestos exposure has been linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer that can kill mere months after symptoms emerge.
The centers for Disease Control conducted 108 cancer cluster investigations between 1961 and 1990. In the 1990s, Attorney Nancy LaVista represented families in St. Lucie County who blamed the rash of illnesses on a local nuclear power plant. "Back then there were 450 different elements to be tested, I would think by 2009 they would be able to test for very possible toxins," said LaVista.