Originally, the Coldwater Creek – Just the Facts Please Facebook page was created to investigate a disease cluster. Our community uncovered a much bigger issue and our residents (both former and current) are very sick, as a result of Manhattan Project Nuclear Weapons Waste. We are the surprise victims of World War II friendly fire.
Our goals are very basic. Help our community members who have become ill, or may become ill in the future as a result of exposure, and prevent future exposure. We believe that these goals can be achieved by:
Educating the Community
Knowledge is power. Many local residents are unaware of the contamination, that they have been exposed, or that St. Louis played a significant role in the Manhattan Project. Without this knowledge of exposure, residents are missing the opportunity to be proactive in matters regarding their healthcare. Early detection is the key for diseases related to chronic exposure to ionizing radiation. Without awareness, many are diagnosed in the late stages of disease and have already become terminally ill.
Educating Healthcare Professionals
Diseases related to chronic ionizing radiation exposure are clearly documented on the CDC, EPA, ATSDR, Department of Justice, Veterans Affairs websites. Our disease and cancers are a direct match. Some of the diseases related to exposure are hard to diagnose, unless a healthcare professional is specifically looking for the signs and symptoms (ie., Hashimoto’s Disease). Certain related cancers are almost always terminal once diagnosed in a late stage but if identified early, the prognosis is favorable.
We have repeatedly heard from our community that they have been told by medical professionals that their diagnoses is “one in a million” or “extremely rare”. This may be the case, had they not been chronically exposed to ionizing radiation. Unfortunately, we have been exposed. In our population, as a result of exposure, certain rare diseases are common.
Chronic exposure to ionizing radiation often has a latent effect, leading to disease presentation decades later. It can mutate DNA, leading to fertility issues in women and genetic anomalies in our children.
We would like our healthcare community and public health officials to be educated on the effects of exposure and recognize that anyone who lives or has previously lived in the area is at risk.
Community Inclusion in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA)
Our community has been exposed to Manhattan Project Nuclear Weapons War Waste through inhalation and ingestion. The Department of Justice already has a program specifically for exposed “Downwinder” communities and victims of friendly fire.
According to the RECA website: “The RECA Program also relies on cooperation from the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Energy, and Defense to determine the eligibility and compensation available to onsite participant claimants under RECA. Finally, the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP), administered by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources Services Administration, provides grants for education, prevention, and early detection of radiogenic cancers and diseases.”