As we all know, there is very little information with regard to the genesis of primary brain tumors / brain cancer. Unlike most cancers, there are no genetic or environmental correlations that can be easily made to explain why we have been diagnosed with our disease. Suffice it to say, short of blowing asbestos through a hose in attics as a career, you’re hard-pressed to find an answer. And, as difficult as that may be to not have an “answer”, it is comforting to know that there isn’t a lot of evidence to suggest your children will be subject to a brain tumor. For a group of residents in a small community in Northern Illinois, they may very well have an answer for the cause of their brain cancer which leads me to a blog comment I received late this afternoon…
Someone at the “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric” left a comment and brought my attention to an exclusive they were airing tonight on the CBS Evening News about a brain cancer “cluster” they discovered in the small community of McCullom Lake Village in Illinois. More than a dozen cases of primary brain tumors, some on the same street – adjoining neighbors – across the street neighbors. Unbelievable. Well, when I read her comment I certainly became more interested, particularly considering there is no solid science behind the cause of brain tumors.
First off, at a high level, I went out to the National Cancer Institute into their analytics database – I was simply curious about the national incidence rate of brain cancer. One would think that it might step in line with the most populous states, yes? It doesn’t. Now, as a GBM survivor with the “you don’t have many years left” (yeah right) statements being thrown at me, I really don’t want to spend my time researching this, but I do find it interesting at some level that some of the Northeast and Midwest states have the highest incident rates. It’s off the beaten path but take a look at this – it’s pretty interesting just to study for a moment:
The CBS story is taking this map and putting a pin in the upper right corner of Illinois – McCullom Lake Village. There is no reason to paraphrase the story. NOTE: I had a link here but the story is now a VIDEO ONLY. I am using CBS’s embedding code to embed the report below:
Watch CBS Videos Online
From my standpoint, this could very well be a case where you can tie brain tumor cause and effect together. As the story indicates, you have scientists in the same hall all suffering from primary brain tumors. You have residents on the same street suffering. I volunteer through the NBTS and get emails from the newly diagnosed who are sometimes in other states – just looking for support. These folks have a support group just among themselves. Let’s also keep in mind – only 20,000 primary brain tumors are diagnosed annually – slice that up between Glioblastomas, Oligoastrocytomas and other types and this is not a coincidence – at all. This is obviously my own, personal opinion.
This is not a “Love Canal” situation but in my opinion it’s close. The fact is you have chemicals running under ground (the Love Canal involved some 10K+ tons of toxic waste buried underground) and this was within striking distance of water supplies and a lake around this community.
The bottom line? Who are any of us to think that anything around us may or may not cause various types of cancer. We always hear reports about what to do and what not to do. One day a glass of cab is great for your heart, the next day it’s the worst thing you can do! It’s great to avoid what you can control – and we all should. However, when you have a town of innocent, unsuspecting people who are just living their lives and a cluster of them are diagnosed with primary brain tumors, you have to stop and look at the environment. For me, this is clear cut but unfortunately it’s going to take a lot of money, court battling and jousting and will drag some very wonderful people through some hard trials.
I applaud CBS for they have accomplished here. In my view, the environment ties into this but I can only say this based on the circumstances. Science needs to take over and prove this out but I think given the right authority to do so, this will come out right.
Lastly but absolutely the most important, I pray for each and every one of the brain tumor survivors in that community, that they obtain the care they need and that the courts prevail upon the appropriate parties to resolve this issue. I pray that their families find comfort in the light CBS is shedding on the issue and that they feel that they aren’t fighting this battle alone.
If I can say anything to them? You aren’t alone – I think you all know that. I know it must be even more difficult to believe your brain tumor was caused by your environment but like all of us, we have today – it’s the day we were given so we all need to be grateful for what we have – a gift.
Mark
Remember the film Erin Brokovich?
I’d like to thank Kelly Rippin again for pointing this out to me. Great story.
Updated:
This is a picture of the Santa Ana River Jetties in Huntington Beach/Newport Beach, California that relates to several of the comments submitted. You’ll have to read the comments. I don’t know anyone else in my position however except for Michael.
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The last item I thought I’d cover was my son Aidan and something he said that I thought was amazing. He spends the day with his Mom when he gets out of school, etc. so I always put him to bed and it’s a good way for the two of us to have some quality time. We usually read a story and then he always asks “can we talk?” Of course we can I reply and he always smiles and says “ok, what do you want to talk about?”. We come up with a topic and talk it out. Last night we were talking and I asked him, “Aidan, if you could anything in the world you wanted to, what would you do? And I mean anything – what would it be??” He asked “anything???” and I said “yes”. Aidan thought for a minute and then said “I would ask Jesus into my heart.” I said “Aidan, that’s great but I know you’ve already done that so think of all of the other things and try something else because Jesus is already in your heart” and Aidan thought for a minute then said “I would just choose that again because it makes me feel joy and I would want to feel the joy over again.” Then he said “What would you do Dad?” 
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