Baldies' Blog began originally in the UK by a 26 year old journalist with a blood cancer on a mission to inform the world about bone marrow donation.

He has since died, and I took on the cause of making cancer care more transparent for everybody.

Cancer is a disease that will touch everybody through diagnosis or affiliation: 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed and 1 in 3 woman will hear those words, "You Have Cancer."

I invite you to read how I feel along my journey and
how I am continuing to live a full life alongside my Hodgkin's lymphoma, with me controlling my cancer, not my cancer controlling me.

I hope that "Baldies' Blog" will prepare you to handle whatever life sends you, but especially if it's the message, "You Have Cancer."

Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Clarenoble

I live next to Clarenoble.
It is also known as “the wheelabrator.” It’s real name sounds scary enough without comparing to the Russian meltdown.
In 2005-2006 thirty-six doctors from the Claremont area banded together and petitioned New Hampshire’s legislature to explore the possible link between the jet streams over the recycling center and an apparent “cancer cluster” within a ten mile radius.
Guess who falls within a ten mile radius?
Yes, that would be me, along with the radiology tech who has diagnosed with leukemia and died in the past year in her attempt at a transplant.
I’ve also been hearing rumors a 23 year old who grew up down the street from me has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease.
What are the odds? I thought only about 8,000 in the US received this diagnosis annually.
NH’s epidemiologist opted not to study this possible correlation.
Claremont, concerned over an uproar, held a town meeting. A neurologist was sent to represent our medical professionals.
He was voted in for this since he lives over the mountain and through the woods abutting our property. He is within the ten mile radius, and in NH standards, my neighbor.
I was busy throwing up and passing out from my ABVD therapy, my first round of chemo, that evening. I wasn’t able to make it.
My two closest neighbors have both had their thyroids removed due to malignancy.
Move another 500 yards, and we have a woman who had a 9cm uterine fibroid removed and another woman with ovarian cancer which spread to the pancreas.
The six people I am referring to have been diagnosed, treated, or died since my diagnosis in April 2006.
This isn’t even within the cancer cluster docs were hollering about, that resides on Bible Hill in Claremont.
In Lowell, VT a correlation has been found between asbestos and cancer. It has been proven, just by living within the ten mile radius, the resident’s risk of cancer and other health problems increases 13x average.
It appears they have proven that people do not have to come in direct contact with a carcinogen to be dangerously exposed. The offending site has been closed for years.
Clarenoble is up and running.
If this correlation is true, I’ve been breathing contaminated air at home since birth. I played in pollution. The food I ate, the homegrown gardens, the meat from my family’s farm, the feed, etc., have been compromised.
Good news is, Howard Dean has stepped down from his post in VT, and is possibly heading for Barack’s cabinet representing health and human services.
Can I hear a go homeboy?
Since the first proof came from his home state, he has a direct connection to problem such as these.
The state epidemiologist did say 6 months ago to a Dr. friend of mine they would reopen the case.
However, the idea has not been pushed. I’m hoping my friend will push the issue, on my behalf, and on behalf of all the other people who have and will be diagnosed in this radius.
Please see the potential for progress and safety. Consider the negative health implications of such a finding.
Remember, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.
Please consider your support of this issue. I will keep everybody updated if it progresses.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember well the meeting presenting the number of cancers in our area. What stands out in my mind is the city manager, MORE, concerned over the city's IMAGE than the individuals being struck down, not only by CANCER but over 80 different 'auto immune' diseases. Those of us fighting this horrific pollution in our community (no vote of the people) were mocked - ridiculed and maligned in various meetings. Concord was a JOKE. The one man who had our interests at heart, Jay Phinizy, was replaced with a corporate politican (Odell). And now - without any media attentions the incinerator has been granted another FIFTY years of business/ with expansion!! We, we're called 'acceptable risks'. I too have suffered the effects of this toxic drenching with a spinal canal tumor. J.Moriarty -Claremont

Anonymous said...

Hillary, you are a courageouos young woman to share your life so openly with others. You, like so many in our community, have again broken my heart - because I know the story you tell to be true.

I have grown considerably older battling this toxin belching monster that has been pouring its poison over our community and the area for 21 years now. And thanks to the willful disregard of our elected and hired Claremont officials we are what appears to be locked into 50 more years of toxic assault from the noxious Wheelabrator incinerator.

I regret so terribly that I no longer have the health and strength to battle this toxic outrage at the level I have for nearly a decade. My body is battling the ravages of endometriosis - a disease directly linked to dioxin exposure. Dioxin is only one of the more than 200 now known dangerous emissions from the incinerator. I have discovered that I live in the prevailing plume of the toxic smoke. I do have intentions of continuing to press our regualtors and legislators in Concord to do the sane and wise thing by phasing out waste incineration in our community and state. The Wheelabrator permit to pollute is up for renewal in June, 2009.

As Ms. Moriaty noted, we no longer have our faithful and strong advocate, Jay Phinizy, leading the charge in the state legislature. The people have lost a valuble ally with the re-election of Bob Odell as state senator from our District 8. And like Ms. Moriarty, many of us have been deterred from waging the battle further due to failing health.

Hillary, you will be much in my thoughts and prayers. You and all the others who suffer from the toxic trespass of the Wheelabrator incinerator are the reasons we who know the danger cannot entirely give up the battle. God bless you.
Jackie Elliott - Claremont

Readers may want to log onto the following link to see how the Wheelabrator incinerator impacts our community and the area:
http://www.planethazard.com/phmapone.aspx?lid=30011324&info=pollutants