In the fall of 1999 I read with sadness a story in our local newspaper about a fund raiser for a five year old who had ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia). Then there were a few more cases and more sad stories.
I called the State Health Department and asked if they thought that four cases of ALL in three months was an unusually high number in a small community like ours. I was told it might just be an isolated cluster, but they would look into it to be sure.
In less than a year eight more cases were discovered. The statistical probability of this number of cases occurring in an area with our population is one in ten quintillion. In other words, there is almost zero possibility that this cluster happened by chance.
In mid-February, the Assembly Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining Committee, which I chair, held three days of legislative hearings. The purpose of the hearings was to bring together the experts, data, research, knowledge, funds and other resources in an effort to expedite the search for any environmental causes or contributing factors.
The hearings also served to attract considerable media attention and with it a great many offers and promises from individuals and agencies as well as from local, state and national officials to work together for a common-and urgent-purpose.
Others testifying will give you statistics and progress reports. What I want to focus on is what I learned through the Legislative hearings and through listening to the people whose lives have been affected by this tragedy.
As a result of the hearings, we prepared a list of possible causes, created from our research and the testimony we received. That entire list is in your packet, along with the names of agencies and individuals our recommendations have been forwarded to. It basically asks those in authority to leave absolutely no stone unturned.
Our recommendations also include providing information to the public and expanding the scope of the investigation to cover:
* A longer period of time
* Other disease groupings
* The analyzing of water, soil and air, and
* The testing of the blood, bone, tissue and hair of the children.
I am happy to report that yesterday the Assembly Ways and Means Committee approved $500,000 to be used specifically for those purposes.
In addition, the committee recommends cleaning up the things the community is concerned about now and not waiting for science to catch up or provide positive proof. We unanimously agreed that the cancer registry and other data must be processed in a rapid manner so that information is current and readily available to health and environmental officials and to the general public.
This leukemia cluster may be only a part of the whole picture. An eminent pediatric oncologist has advised us to investigate all marrow diseases and to look for any increases in other forms of cancer among children and adults.
We know that two additional ALL cases were diagnosed in 1992 and, in 1991, a five year old died from Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a less common form of leukemia. We know that earlier this year, a youngster was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, another marrow disease. We know there may be additional cases that are connected to Fallon but were not diagnosed here. And, we know there are clusters of other diseases that also are suspicious.
I think it is vitally important that everyone involved be proactive and not rely on old data, that we look beyond the environmental improvements that are already being done to what needs to be done next, and that we approach our problems with the hope and optimism that, through determination and perseverance, we can-if not find a definitive answer-at the very least eliminate possible causes and add to our information base. Our legislative committee has sponsored a bill that would require public and private entities, certified to do environmental testing, to report to the Nevada Health Division or NDEP any findings of specific values that exceed the established Maximum Contaminant Levels. Those findings would have to be made public if a significant health risk was posed.
I think it's imperative that we put these protections into law and aggressively pursue our search for causes. That includes working to eliminate known contaminants. In so doing, obviously we improve the general health of our people and we very well may destroy some of the ALL contributors.
Why do I feel so strongly that we have a responsibility to move forward in every way possible?
Because this is about children--children whose lives have been turned upside down by something terrible that's beyond their control. This is about a beautiful, smiling little girl whose hair is gone. This is about a promising young athlete whose energy now only lasts for minutes. This is about a teenager whose HMO won't pay for a bone marrow transplant.
This, as you well know, is about furthering what is known about cancer so that other communities might be spared what's happened here. I applaud your efforts to create a nationwide team to deal with these situations if and when they arise.
Senator Clinton, I read that you said, "There is no such thing as other people's children." You, Senator Reid, and Senator Ensign have clearly demonstrated that belief by coming to Fallon to hold these hearings. We can't thank you enough for your concern and your willingness to help our community and communities like this, everywhere. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I would be happy to answer any questions.