Resource Pages

Feb 11, 2013

Whats causing cancer cluster of St. Louis? | #Cancer cluster map of St. Louis

ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KSDK) - There are radioactive secrets beneath the banks and waters of a north St. Louis County creek that may be linked to a staggering number of cancers, illnesses and birth defects. In four square miles, there are three reported cases of conjoined twins and cancer rates that one data expert says is statistically impossible.

About two years ago, Janell Wright and several of her class of '88 McCluer North High School friends started wondering why so many of their peers were battling cancer.

"Where it got to be suspicious is when we had two friends diagnosed within a couple of months of each other with appendix cancer. And both people were told that is a one in a million cancer," said Wright.

Wright, an accountant and former auditor, started collecting data from her classmates. Soon, peers from neighboring schools reached out too.

"On Facebook, it just took off like wildfire. People started reporting their cancers and auto immune diseases," Wright said.

At first she found 30 cases. Within two months, she had data on 200 cases. Now, her maps have more than 700 cases in four square miles, including:

62 brain cancer cases 
27 leukemia cases 
26 lung cancer cases 
24 multiple sclerosis cases 
15 lymphoma cases 
10 pancreatic cancer cases 
3 conjoined twins

Please continue reading at: