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Health News l Health ResourcesDocs launch 9/11 cancer probe By Susan Edelman, NY Post Published: July 4, 2010Doctors have begun probing whether 9/11 rescue and recovery work at toxic Ground Zero triggered thyroid cancer – apparently the first tumor cancer to come under close scrutiny, The Post has learned. More>
Republican Congressman Says 9/11 Healthcare Bill Will Fall Short in House Vote Published: July, 29, 2010 l NY1 NewsRepublican Congressman Peter King says he expects a bill that would provide health care coverage for thousands of September 11th first responders will fall short in a house vote. More>
"Save Our Survivors" Campaign to Benefit World Trade Center Rescue & Recovery Workers July 15, 2010The Firefighter Cancer Foundation has launched the “Save Our Survivors” campaign to provide portable air purification systems to ailing September 11th survivors. Fire departments are being asked to organize fund-raising events to help their fellow responders who are overwhelmed by their illnesses.The goal is $250,000 to purchase 500 desperately needed air purification systems. These systems will ease the struggle and improve the quality of life for those American heroes who continue to suffer from their experiences after the collapse of the World Trade Center. Donations are needed by September 11, 2010, the 10th anniversary of this tragedy.Contact the Firefighter Cancer Foundation at (866) 411-3323 or FFCancer@aol.com for more information. The Foundation educates first responders about on-the-job cancer risks and assists those who are victims of cancer.
Bitter fight on Capitol Hill over Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act By Michael McAuliff, NY Daily News Washington Bureau Published: Thursday, July 29, 2010WASHINGTON - Anger boiled over a risky plan to pass 9/11 legislation on Wednesday, with Republicans accusing Democrats of cowardice and Democrats crying politics. More>
FDNY Funeral Sparks Renewed Call to Help 9/11 Responders Tears and Lingering Questions on Long Island By Greg Cergol, NBC New York Published: August 6, 2010Albanese, 63, died this past weekend after a battle with cancer. He had served the FDNY for close to 38 years; all in Ladder 38 in the Bronx. Albanese was, mourners believed, the latest victim of 9/11. The firefighter had spent months working "the pile" at Ground Zero after terrorists drove planes into the World Trade center in Sept., 2001. More>
Workers’ Comp Registration Deadline for Rescue & Recovery Workers & Volunteers Is September 11, 2010 Did you perform rescue, recovery or clean-up work after the attacks? You may be eligible to register for workers' compensation benefits. Register now!To read the NYCOSH 9/11 Workers' Compensation fact sheet, click here: www.nycosh.org/911info/factsheet_english.html For help completing the form, please read this: www.nycosh.org/911info/instructions_english.html To download the New York State Workers' Compensation Registration Form (also known as the WTC 12 form), please click here: www.nycosh.org/pdfs/WTC-12_08.pdf. Mail your completed form BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11, 2010 to: NY State Workers’ Compensation Board Downstate Centralized Mailing P.O. Box 5205 Binghamton, NY 13902 Do not return the form to NYCOSH! To view and download PSAs for use on your union or organizational website in English or Spanish, click here: www.balconynewyork.com.
WTC First Responders Attend Health Settlement Forum By: Anthony Pascale, NY1 Published: June 16, 2010Some of the rescue and recovery workers who were exposed to dust at the site of the former World Trade Center attended a town hall meeting Wednesday to find out more about last week's settlement deal to pay for their health-related claims. More>
Future of Healthcare Coverage Looms over Event Honoring WTC Responders By: Amanda Farinacci, NY1 On the annual day to recognize those who responded to the September 11th terrorist attacks, there is word that a program to help those responders is threatened. Saturday was World Trade Center Responder Day, an unofficial day of appreciation for the men and women who turned out to serve after the attacks. More>
Poll on Zadroga Bill - HR 847To take a poll on the James Zadroga Bill, click here: www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/01/2010-06-01_emts_death_spurs_ new_aidbill_push.html.
Happy Responders Day: NYC Cuts 9/11 Counseling By Michael McAuliff, NY Daily News Published: Saturday, June 5, 2010Mayor Bloomberg’s administration left one thing off the roster of events for Saturday’s “World Trade Center Responder Day: A Salute to Heroes” - news that the city is ending its 9/11 mental health program. More>
Another 9/11 responder death spurs new aid-bill push to help Ground Zero heroes By Richard Sisk, NY Daily News Published: Tuesday, June 1, 2010Another 9/11 responder's death prompted her family to plead Monday for federal funding to treat rescuers sickened by their work at Ground Zero. Paula Rodriguez, 44, an FDNY emergency medical technician, died Sunday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. More>
WTC veteran cop Robert Oswain, 42, dies from Cancer By Rocco Parascandola and John Lauinger, Daily News Published: Monday, May 17, 2010Police Officer Robert Oswain, a Bronx cop who served in recovery efforts at Ground Zero, died of cancer late Saturday. He was 42. More>
President Barack Obama budget office cuts funds for 9/11 health studies on WTC rescue workers By Michael McAuliff, Daily News Washington Bureau Published: Tuesday, May 18, 2010President Obama's budget office has withheld the money required to finish a pair of 9/11 studies on the health of people who responded to the terror attacks, the Daily News has learned. More>
Study: 9/11 Workers Lost Ability to Smell, Detect Irritants By David Goodhue, All Headline News Published: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 Workers exposed to toxic airborne chemicals following the collapse of the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks experienced a decreased ability to detect odors and irritants two years after the incident. More>
World Trade Center Health Registry 2009 ReportThe World Trade Center Health Registry has released their 2009 report.You can access it by clicking here: www.nyc.gov/html/doh/wtc/downloads/pdf/registry/WTC_AnnualReport.pdf.Contact the Registry at 866-NYC-WTCR (866-692-9827) or via e-mail at wtchr@health.nyc.gov, visit their website at nyc.gov/9-11HealthInfo, or write to them at the address below.World Trade Center Health Registry
233 Broadway, 26th floor, CN 6W
New York, NY 10279
City Contests Decision on Ground Zero By Mireya Navarro, The New York Times Published: Thursday, April 15, 2010Lawyers defending the city and its contractors from lawsuits filed by about 10,000 people who worked on rescue and cleanup operations at ground zero went to a federal appeals court on Wednesday to challenge a judge's authority to block a settlement. More>
City Appeals Judge’s Rejection Of 9/11 Health Settlement By: Ty Milburn, NY1City officials appealed Wednesday a federal judge’s rejection of a $575 million settlement offer for thousands of workers who got sick at the site of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. More>
New Website from the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation has launched a website online for patients and families living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).The webpage, www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org, aims to increase access to information and resources for IPF patients and their families. The site will also link to online IPF support groups, and to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation's Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.
9/11 Heroes Likely to Suffer 'World Trade Center Cough' for Life: Study Published: NY Daily News l April 7, 2010 The so-called "World Trade Center Cough" appears to be permanent. A sweeping new study of firefighters and EMTs workers who inhaled toxic Ground Zero dust found that their lungs have unexpectedly failed to recover since the 2001 disaster. More>
Judge postpones ruling on WTC first-responders' health settlement until he knows lawyers' cut By Alison Gendar and Corky Siemaszko Published: Daily News l Friday, March 12, 2010 A Manhattan judge said Friday he wants to know how big a cut the lawyers are getting before he okays a proposed settlement that would pay out at least $575 million to 10,000 ailing Ground Zero heroes. More>
Congress Is Debating the Funding of Blood Cancer Research – Your Opinion Counts As you all know, many recovery workers from the World Trade Center site are ill with blood cancers. Help is needed now to secure research funding forleukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom’s syndrome and other blood cancers. The Department of Defense’s blood cancer research is in danger of losing its funding. Without this program, blood cancer researchers may be forced to abandon research projects that could lead to the next breakthrough in cancer treatment. More>
New Yorkers Express Concern Following Congressional Meeting with HHS on 9/11 Health Bill: Published: Thursday, January 28, 2010 l Washington, D.C.Members of the New York Congressional delegation met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to discuss the federal government’s programs to provide medical treatment and monitoring to those who are sick because of the 9/11 attacks. The representatives also discussed with Secretary Sebelius the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, legislation to make federal 9/11 health programs permanent and reopen the federal Victim Compensation Fund – a bill for which President Obama expressed support during the 2008 campaign. More>
9/11 Health Care Bill Could Get Boost in Congress By Ari Paul, The Chief Leader l Published: January 2010The medical centers treating the thousands of 9/11 responders as well as lower Manhattan residents and workers suffering from respiratory ailments and mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder survive on annual appropriations funding from Congress. Already a precarious situation, the financial crisis makes things shaker, which is why advocates are intensifying their push for a more reliable funding source. More>
9/11 Health Bill Loses Long-Term Support By Claudia Cruz, Queens Courier Published: Tuesday, February 9, 2010The healthcare of first responders, volunteers, and recovery and clean-up workers after the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, suffered a setback when the Obama administration stated it would not guarantee any long-term funding for their medical monitoring and treatment programs. In a January 27 meeting between the New York Congressional delegation and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Sebelius informed the delegation that the administration could not support the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009 – introduced by Representative Carolyn Maloney – due to the bill’s provisions that would require mandatory annual spending on federal 9/11 health programs. Instead, the administration offered – on February 1, 2010 – to double the 2011 budget to $150 million from the current $70 million allotted for this year. Currently, the medical monitoring and treatment programs are funded through discretionary spending, which needs to be renewed and approved annually by Congress. “Good news for one year isn’t enough to allay the fears of families of these 9/11 heroes that they could be bankrupted by health costs five or 15 years down the road,” said Maloney in a statement to the press. “The doubling of funding only proves the point for those of us who have been saying for years that the health needs of responders should not be subject to the whims of who is in power in Washington.” Statistics from the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) show that as of March 31, 2009, more than 51,000 World Trade Center (WTC) responders nationwide have met eligibility and have enrolled in the medical monitoring and treatment programs, according to Fred Blosser, a NIOSH spokesperson. NIOSH created the criteria of 9/11 health related ailments, which include asthma, chronic cough syndrome, sleep apnea, chronic rhinosinusitus, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and depression, among others. The Zadroga bill would have provided a mechanism for the continuous funding of the WTC monitoring and treatment programs with a payment rate based on federal compensation systems like Black Lung disease, energy workers and members of Congress. However, the workers’ compensation, public and private insurance plans would be the primary payers. “The responders’ health must be monitored closely, so that early detection gives them a real chance against the serious long-term illnesses caused by working at Ground Zero,” said Maloney. “For my part, I will be asking for a meeting with the President to explain those needs more clearly – because I expect he will agree with us and overrule his staff.”
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand corners President Obama on 9/11 first responders - and is rewarded By Michael Mcauliff with Kenneth R. Bazinet Published: Daily News Washington Bureau l Thursday, February 4, 2010WASHINGTON - Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand scored a surprise concession on Wednesday from President Obama in the fight to do right for 9/11 heroes.New Yorkers besieged the White House after Obama's Health and Human Services secretary declared last week the administration would not back committing $11 billion in mandatory funding over 30 years for ailing 9/11 first responders. More>
New Yorkers Express Concern Following Congressional Meeting with HHS on 9/11 Health Bill: Published: Thursday, 28 January 2010 l Washington, D.C.Members of the New York Congressional delegation met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to discuss the federal government’s programs to provide medical treatment and monitoring to those who are sick because of the 9/11 attacks. The representatives also discussed with Secretary Sebelius the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, legislation to make federal 9/11 health programs permanent and reopen the federal Victim Compensation Fund – a bill for which President Obama expressed support during the 2008 campaign. More>
Hearing To Examine the NYC WTC Medical Working Group 2009 Annual Report on September 11th HealthOn Monday, December 7, 2009, the Committee on Lower Manhattan Redevelopment and the Committee on Civil Service and Labor and Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services will hold a hearing on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 1:00pm at the Council Chambers of City Hall. The topic will be a discussion of this year’s Annual Report: Oversight - Examining the New York City World Trade Center Medical Working Group 2009 Annual Report on September 11th Health.The report can be found at: www.nyc.gov/html/doh/wtc/downloads/pdf/news/wtc-medical-working- group-annual-report.pdf.
Angry 9/11 responders: President Obama offers sympathy, but no support By Michael Mcauliff Daily News Washington Bureau Originally Published:Thursday, December 3rd 2009, 10:03 PM Updated: Friday, December 4th 2009, 9:50 AMWarga/News Joseph Zadroga tries to raise money for 9/11 first responders at Ground Zero in 2008. Zadroga's son, Detective James Zadroga, passed away from illnesses related to the work he did after 9/11.
WASHINGTON - Angry Sept. 11 responders say President Obama has offered sympathy but no support for their appeal to champion their cause in Congress.A group of 9/11 widows and rescue workers recently wrote Obama, asking his help to pass a bill that would fund care for ailing responders over the next 30 years.Obama wrote back Tuesday, the Daily News has learned, saying he understands their plight and values their heroism."The individuals suffering health ailments from Sept. 11 and its aftermath deserve proper medical attention," the President wrote. "You served selflessly, and your concerns are of great importance to our country. I remain committed to supporting the heroes of Sept. 11."But he left out whether he'd get behind the bill."It's a nice letter, and I will put it in my scrapbook," said former construction worker John Feal, who lost half a foot at Ground Zero. "But it's no more than a souvenir unless he supports that bill.""We would have hoped for more," said Kenny Specht, an ex-FDNY lieutenant who survived cancer linked to 9/11, though he was glad Obama made a nod to the illnesses responders face.The 9/11 health act stalled in the House behind health reform, which has since passed there. It hasn't moved in the Senate since Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced it earlier this year.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds the key to progress in the House, but having Obama onboard "would be a tremendous help," said bill sponsor Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan).Feal and Specht say if there's no progress by spring, they will shine a harsh light on Congress and the President, starting with a march from Ground Zero to Washington. "We will do a G.Z.-to-D.C. walk, a cancer survivor and a guy with half a foot," said Feal. "We will embarrass them."A White House spokeswoman insisted Obama shares the goals of the bill, but didn't offer outright support for the legislation."The President has the utmost appreciation for John Feal's selfless service and his commitment to our 9/11 heroes and all New Yorkers," said White House spokeswoman Moira Mack. "The President deeply supports our 9/11 heroes and believes it is important to ensure that we monitor the health effects of first responders who were made sick by the toxic dust and debris that filled the air after the attacks and ensure that they have access to appropriate treatment."
Petition for Zadroga Bill
There is an online petition about HR-847 (better known as the Zadroga Bill), the bill going through Congress now about health care for workers sick from working during the World Trade Center recovery effort.James Zadroga is an NYPD detective who died from site-related pulmonary disease. HR-847 is named for him.You can read the petition at this link.http://www.petitiononline.com/HR847NOW
Toxic WTC tactic - City probing 9/11 hero's STDs, pimples: By Susan Edelman, NY Post, October 25, 2009 The city is digging into the history of a hero firefighter's sexually transmitted disease from nearly a decade before 9/11 as part of its legal battle against World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers. More>
Three heroes of 9/11 die of cancer in five days By Stephanie Gaskell, Daily News staff writer Robert Grossman, a police officer who worked at Ground Zero following 9/11, died of cancer on Friday.A firefighter and two cops who worked at Ground Zero in the days and weeks after Sept. 11 have died of cancer in the past five days, the Daily News has learned.Family members and advocates are blaming their deaths on toxins released into the air after the twin towers collapsed - and they're urging Congress to act on a bill that would help pay for their medical care. Article continued >
Departments of Health & Education collaborating on outreach- Looking for ways to reach children who attended Lower Manhattan schools in Sept. 2001:Two City agencies, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DOE), are inching closer to collaborating on a project that Community Board 1 (CB1) has been requesting for several years. "We need a concerted effort to get information about 9/11-health-related issues into the hands of the families with children who were here on that day," said Catherine McVay Hughes, chair of CB1's World Trade Center Redevelopment Committee. Article Continued >
9/11 Health Bill Reintroduced into Congress
Washington, D.C. – On February 4, 2009, Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and Michael McMahon (D-NY) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to address the health crisis caused by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. H.R. 847, the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, would provide medical monitoring and treatment for those exposed to toxins released by the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. The bill would also provide compensation for economic losses due to illnesses or injuries caused by the attacks. Please click here to read all the information about the 9/11 Health Bill
Adults Directly Exposed to the World Trade Center Disaster Still Had Elevated Risk of Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms and New Asthma Diagnosis 5-6 Years Later August 4, 2009 — People directly exposed to the 2001 World Trade Center disaster were four times more likely than other people to report post-traumatic stress symptoms in 2006-2007, a new study shows. While many studies have documented the adverse physical and mental health conditions associated with 9/11, most have focused on the short-term health effects within the first three years following the disaster. Article Continued >
WE COUNT!: 9/11 Health Survey9/11 Environmental Action and Beyond Ground Zero Network are conducting a widespread community health survey that seeks to uncover the true scope of the September 11th health crisis.Over the next several months BGZ and 9/11 EA will conduct outreach throughout Lower Manhattan with the goal of creating a broad and inclusive database of health symptoms and their effects.They invite anyone who believes that he or she suffers from September 11th-related health problems to take the survey.Click here to take the survey.
Don't Let Your Health Insurance Lapse!If you were a dependent of a September 11th victim, please check the expiration date of your health insurance. Marsh & Mclennan is encouraging their families to check the expiration date of their COBRA coverage. The GHI 9-11 Health Insurance Plan may be able to help you if your insurance is expiring. For more information about this plan, please contact Jennifer Jacobs at jenniferj973@aol.com, Liz Mattson at elizabethmattson@gmail.com, or Bill Doyle at WDoyle5615@aol.com. If you plan to enroll in the GHI 9-11 Health Insurance Plan, send copies of the death certificate, marriage license, and birth certificates of each eligible child with your enrollment application. This will expedite the process. Children are eligible until the age of 25 if they are enrolled in college.
Congressional Hearing for The 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009 Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 10:00am, Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at 10:00am, in Room 2322 Rayburn House Office Building, there will be a hearing for legislation to provide health services for September 11th workers, including emergency responders, recovery personnel and workers who handled the clean-up of the World Trade Center.Sponsored by U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler and Peter King, The 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009, (HR 847, The James Zadroga bill) would provide medical monitoring, evaluation and treatment for the workers. Click here to read the bill.The public testimony will include the sponsors of the bill, sick workers and:- Dr. Jacqueline Moline Vice Chair, Community and Preventive Medicine, Director WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program, Clinical Center at Mount Sinai, and Director of the New York/New Jersey Education and Research Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine;- Dr. Jim Melius, Administrator, New York State Laborers’ Tri-Funds; - Dr. Joan Reibman, Associate Professor of Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Director NYU/Bellevue Asthma Center, Director of Health and Hospitals Corporation World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, Bellevue Hospital, NYU School of Medicine; and, - Caswell Holloway, Chief of Staff to New York City Deputy Mayor for Operations Edward Skyler, and special advisor to Mayor Michael Bloomberg.Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2322 Southwest of the Capitol on the site bounded by Independence Ave., South Capitol Street, First Street, and C Street, S.W For a map, click here: www.aoc.gov/cc/cc_map.cfm.
Mt. Sinai Reopens World Trade Center Screening EnrollmentMt. Sinai Hospital will again accept new patients into the World Trade Center Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening program. The program ended last year but has been saved by a federal grant. Many recovery workers have been diagnosed with illnesses. If you qualify, call 888-702-0630.Exams will be given in Manhattan, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and New Jersey. If you qualify, but have left the area, call the number a bove and you will be contacted.Examinations take approximately three hours and test for the most common September 11th related illnesses. You will not be tested for heavy metal exposure (which needs to be done within 90 days of exposure) or for asbestos, cancer or long-term problems (it is too soon for that). What will be tested for: breathing (pulmonary function testing), persistent or chronic sinusitis or rhinitis; reactive airways disease (asthma); laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis; gastro-esophageal reflux; emotional distress; and persistent problems related to injuries sustained at the recovery site. You’ll also be tested for heart problems. For more information, or to download eligibility forms, go to: www.wtcexams.org.
Friday, August 13, 2010
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