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Moving to Midlothian, Texas? The only peer-reviewed and
published survey of human health in the area surrounding the cement plants
found a 30% higher rate of respiratory problems among those living downwind
or in close proximity of the plants. The study was conducted by a UT toxicologist in 1997-98. He was only looking for acute symptoms - not chronic conditions like cancer, and it
was a pretty small sample group.
Still, it's the only scientific proof about the possible impact of
pollution on human health in Midlothian. Everything else put out by industry
and the state claiming to find no damage to human health relies on soil, air
and water sampling to estimate exposure at "safe" or "unsafe" level and
works backwards to make that conclusion. It does not look at what the actual
condition of human health is in the surrounding area. If you already have
any kind of respiratory problems, or have children or seniors in your family
unit - moving next door to all this polluting industry is probably not a
good idea.
There's such an atmospheric "toxic soup" of so many different chemicals
reacting with one another and assaulting your system simultaneously that, in
fact, no one can say you're safe to breathe the stuff. Read some of the
testimonials of people who do live in Midlothian area, like Eileen Parker of
Cedar Hill:
Dear Sir,
I am a mother of a teen, Cindy Parker, who was diagnosed with a very
rare form of cancer, Rhabdomyosarcoma, in December 1997.
Rhabdomyosarcoma means a sarcoma growing from the bone and muscle
tissue.
Cindy had 2 tumors, one in her rectum, and one in a lymph node
nearby. Cindy was an extremely athletic, strong, teen when she was
diagnosed. She was on the varsity tennis team at Cedar Hill High School,
which involved being outdoors in Cedar Hill every day for approximately
3 hours per day.
I was stunned to discover she had cancer. She was such a physically
fit person that I found it hard to understand how she may have gotten
this disease. At the time of diagnosis I wondered silently whether or
not the toxins in the environment in Cedar Hill played a part in her
contracting the disease. I wrote these thoughts off, as I decided that
she is only one of many, many teenagers who spend a great deal of time
outdoors in Cedar Hill.
Cindy has been going to oncologists in north Dallas, 45 miles from
Cedar Hill. In the summer of 1998, we discovered another teen girl from
Cedar Hill High School was diagnosed with cancer (another type from
Cindy, but equally as rare). We only discovered this because she had
selected the same oncologist as Cindy. I was anxious to talk to the
teen's mother. Sure enough, her mother was having the same thoughts
exactly as I had previously had about Cindy.
She said her daughter was very athletic, and was a member of Cedar
Hill High School's varsity soccer team, also an outdoor sport. Again,
the thoughts of the toxic environment in Cedar Hill hit my mind. About a
month ago, another teenage girl was stricken with cancer, and had
selected our same oncologist in North Dallas. This girl had lived in
Cedar Hill for about 6 years, and had recently moved to Grand Prairie.
Again, the question, was she in an outdoor sport? Sure enough, the girl
was a member of the track team when she lived in Cedar Hill.
I asked my oncologist what the statistical chances were of having
three rare cancer cases diagnosed within a 6 month period from the same
area, and he agreed that there was something wrong. He told me a story,
that when his oncology practice was in southern California, he saw an
abnormally high number of pediatric cancer cases in the families of
migrant workers. These children were required to work the fields, and
were exposed to the chemicals used in the fields. He says there is a
direct link between chemicals in the environment and pediatric cancer,
but it is so expensive and hard to prove.
I asked Cindy's local primary care physician, Dr. Michael Freeman of
Duncanville, his thoughts on this subject. He informed me of another
pediatric cancer case of his, a teenage boy who lives in Duncanville. He
also was an extremely fit "outdoor" person, a football player. Dr.
Freemantold me that he has been practicing general medicine for over 25
years, and Cindy's and this boy's cases were the first two pediatric
cancer cases he has ever seen, diagnosed within 2 weeks of each other.
Dr. Freeman says he is personally convinced that the air in southern
Dallas county is becoming more and more polluted, and is causing these
cases. He believes that the teenagers are more susceptible to the toxins
than the younger kids, because a part of high school athletics is
becoming physically exhausted, thus breathing in large amounts of
polluted air. The younger children, though outdoors a lot, are not made
to breathe as deeply as athletes. Dr. Freeman also went on to say that
he would like to know whether the cancer cases in the area are equal
among all teens. In other words, are the teenagers not involved in
outside athletics getting cancer at the same rates as these that are? He
also said that we should not look at the adult cancer cases, as most of
the adults spend a good deal of their lives in other places besides
Cedar Hill, and are not outdoors like the children.
I have no way of knowing the answers to any of these questions. I
only happen to know of the cases I mention. All of these cases I mention
are being treated at Medical City Dallas in north Dallas by the same
oncologist. The oncologist noted that there are also 2 more hospitals,
Cook Children's, and Children's Medical Center that could be treating
local pediatric cancer cases.
All I know for sure is that I would question the wishes of my two
younger children, should they choose to play an outdoor athletic sport
in Cedar Hill. On the way to work this morning near the high school, I
saw a red-faced, panting teenage boy doing his morning run (I assumed
for the track team), and I said a silent prayer for him and his family.
If I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Eileen Parker |
