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Washington County, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of Health is investigating rare cancer cases in the Canon-McMillan School District as a result of a Channel 11 investigation.
Cara Sapida has reported Ewing's sarcoma, a disease that causes the growth of cancerous tumors on the bones. Ewing's sarcoma was diagnosed at Mitch Barton in December. Former Canon Mac students Luke Blanock and Kyle Deliere have died as a result of their battles with the disease. A resident of the Municipality of Cecil and a graduate of Bishop Canovin, Curtis Valent, also died of the disease.
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The Department of Health told Channel 11 that it was reviewing all cancer statistics in Washington County and the school district. Based on calls from people in the region, the department said it focused on radiation-related cancers in addition to Ewing cancers and cancers of the family and children in general.
The department said it had compared the state's cancer registry data to current cases to see if a particular cancer had increased in a given area.
There have been no cases of Ewing's sarcoma in Washington County in 2017 and four cases in the last 10 years. Data for 2018 is not yet finalized, said the department.
We are told that the cancer survey is still ongoing, but that the results are expected to be completed next month.
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"His shoulder was sore, the doctor told him that he had slept badly," said Cindy Valent, one of five parents who spoke to Channel 11 Tuesday to tell the story of cancer of their child.
There are only 200 cases diagnosed each year in the United States.
"You always hear about another case and another person, how rare can it be, why are there so many in this area?" Roger Chambers, whose daughter, Alyssa, was diagnosed in 2008 and has conquered the disease.
Three of the young adults diagnosed grew up within two kilometers of the township of Cecil, the other two just a few miles away.
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"We are not here to look for blame, but the scarcity that this is supposed to be, we just have to inform people," said Janice Blanock. "There is no data to prove that this is environmental, but there is no data to prove that it is not."
A former uranium plant in Canonsburg, where more than 200,000 tonnes of contaminated waste is buried, is a concern for local residents. Oil and gas drilling sites are also of concern as there are approximately 1,700 Marcellus shale gas wells in Washington County.
"It's not just Ewing, there are a lot of pediatric cancers in the area," said Christine Barton. "I grew up here, I do not remember young children falling ill."
All parents emphasized that they loved the community and wanted it to be safe for future generations.
- Luke Blanock: Canon Mac baseball player with Ewing's sarcoma in 2013.
- Mitch Barton: Baseball player Canon Mac, diagnosed in 2018 and currently under treatment for Ewing.
- Curtis Valent: resident of the city of Cecil, graduate of Bishop Canevin and former player of the small league in town, diagnosed in 2008.
- Kyle Deliere: Canon Mac and Pitt Wrestler, diagnosed in 2011.
- Alyssa Chambers: Canon Mac Grad, diagnosed in 2008 and completed treatment in 2009. She is a survivor of Ewing.
© 2019 Cox Media Group.
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