U.S. Government Denies Claims of Toxic Exposure to 9/11 First RespondersTess Pennington As many of you know, Iworkedat the American Red Cross during September 11, 2001. An hour after the first terrorist attacks, my chapter became the headquarters for dealing with aftermath. I, along with many of my colleagues, requested temporary transfers to ground zero to help volunteer in any way we could.Although mytransfer was not approved, my best friend, Sue, along with a few others in my chapter were. Theiraltruistic natures led them into uncharted territory. They had no idea what they were going to see or what the workingconditions wouldbe. When they arrived in New York, the dust cloud had not yet settled and a fire was still smoldering deep in the rubble. When asked about breathing in the dust, they were advised that it was not dangerous and masks were not required (something she would later regret). Tents were set up near ground zero in order to better serve the emergency personnel and organizations. Sue spent two weeks volunteering in New York where she worked 10 hour days assisting the first responders and ate many of her meals near the site. More Than 1,100 People Who Worked or Lived Near the World Trade Center on 9/11 Have Been Diagnosed With Cancer Five years after shecame back from volunteering in New York, she began having immense pain in her hips and legs. She was lethargic and a little frightened at what the doctors would say. Further testing indicated that she had a rare form of blood cancer called multiple myeloma, which multiplies the bodys plasma cells to dangerous levels. She is also prone to sufferingdebilitating fractures and other bone disorders, severe side effects of certain treatments,and all of this causing a significant impact in the cost of health care. What many of the first responders, volunteers and residents who lived near the attacks did not know is that they would be exposed to a toxic dust cloud that would cause many to have long-term health issues including asthma, cancer, leukemiaand non-Hodgkins lymphoma.Notably, more than 1,100 people who worked or lived near the World Trade Center on 9/11 have been diagnosed with cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Further, hundreds of firefighters and other ground zero workers have died of cancerafterthe attack on the World Trade Center, according to New York state health officials. Those responders who were present at the World Trade Center and Twin Tower sites, including my friend Sue, were heavily exposed to toxic dust containing cancer-causing agents such as asbestos and benzene, a component of jet fuel that caused uncontrollable fires when planes hit the Twin Towers.These fires burned for three months and emittedhigh volumes of particulates and gases that were inhaled by responders, survivors and people who lived in the surrounding area.Several of these known chemicals and carcinogens have been linked to a heightened risk of multiple myeloma. In fact, due to increased amounts of 9/11 first responders being diagnosed with cancer and other health issues, many studies were published suggesting a link between the increased gastro-esophageal cancers and blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Although the correlation andstudies justified the claims, officials were hesitant to compensate any medical bills through the WTC Health Program. TheU.S. governmentis going as far as to denyclaims that toxic exposure from 9/11 attacks has any correlation to the increased rates of cancer appearing in the men and women who were directly exposed to the toxic environment surrounding the fallen towers in the aftermath of the tragedy.Dr. John Howard, administrator of the WTC Health Program, had said in 2012that cancer treatments would not be covered by the compensation fund. At the time, he said there was inadequate published scientific and medical findings to link 9/11 exposures to cancer. While the government promised to provide $4.3 billion in medical coverage to first responders, it continues to drag its feet thirteen years after the fact! It is deeply disconcerting to me that the government of the United States of America has failed to care for the men and women of this country who sacrificed their health to care forvictims of 9/11. Perhaps, the government does not believe in taking care of their own. September 11, 2001 was the day our world as we once knew it changed. It is also a day when we sawunwavering acts of braveryto help our fellow man. These individualsanswered a call to service that we can never forget. Some lost their lives and some compromised their health in order to help others. My sincere thanks to all of you who were there, who did what had to be done, who put your lifeon the line to help yourfellow man. To further support our 9/11 responders living with health issues caused by their exposure to toxic dust, please consider donating to: Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation Further Reading: Contributed by Tess Pennington of Ready Nutrition. Tess Pennington is the author of The Preppers Blueprint, a comprehensive guide that uses real-life scenarios to help you prepare for any disaster. Because a crisis rarely stops with a triggering event the aftermath can spiral, having the capacity to cripple our normal ways of life. The well-rounded, multi-layered approach outlined in the Blueprint helps you make sense of a wide array of preparedness concepts through easily digestible action items and supply lists. Tess is also the author of the highly rated Preppers Cookbook, which helps you to create a plan for stocking, organizing and maintaining a proper emergency food supply and includes over 300 recipes for nutritious, delicious, life-saving meals. 