Men say their breast cancer was caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune

[CatWoman]

By Ami Schmitz and Kristina Krohn
Rock Center

Mike Partain got the shock of his life five years ago when he was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39. That he got breast cancer at all is surprising. It's so rare that for every 100 women who get it, just one man will.

“Five years ago I was just an ordinary father of four, husband of 18 years. And one night, my then-wife gave me a hug and she felt a bump on my chest,” he said in an interview with Dr. Nancy Snyderman airing tonight at 10pm/9CT on NBC News’ Rock Center with Brian Williams.

When his doctor delivered the devastating news in a phone call, Partain’s first thought was, “What contest in hell did I win to deserve this?”

After his diagnosis, Partain was desperate to answer the question, “why”? He said, “I don't drink. I don't smoke. I've never done drugs. There is no history of breast cancer in my family.”

But everything changed after he saw a news report, where a former Marine drill instructor named Jerry Ensminger told Congress how his 9-year-old daughter Janey died of leukemia, and that he believed her death was caused by drinking water at Camp Lejeune contaminated with chemicals.

“My knees buckled,” Mike said, “I grabbed the back of the couch and I sat there. I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is what happened.’”

The son of a Marine, Partain was born at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He soon learned that there had been a long history of suspicion about the water at Camp Lejeune.

http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/22/17059795-men-say-their-breast-cancer-was-caused-by-contaminated-water-at-camp-lejeune?lite

[Tempest]

1. My sister's husband spent most of his military career at Camp Lejeune

While my sister and their kids lived off base.

He died three years ago from four different cancers, three of which were attributed to the water and other chemicals used and developed on the base.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Wish there were more awareness of how toxic military bases are.

2 Navy bases in SF area were closed a few years ago, all sorts of financial vultures were wanting to grab the land for profit, and then came the news of how contaminated both were.
And of course not just those bases.

Google "toxic military bases" and see.
Here's one find:

.."the U.S. Force and Navy both rank among the top 100 polluters in America, and many of the bases they've left behind as a result of the BRAC closures have been declared Superfund sites by the Environmental Protection Agency."
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/24/closed-military-bases-leave-a-toxic-legacy/

[littlewolf]

2. saw this last night on TV on rock center.

looks like the Marines are dragging their feet,
the VA isn't doing squat, a bunch of money has
been put in some kind of account, but nothing has
been paid out. this is shameful totally shameful.

[SoCalDem]

4. Waiting for the victims to die..

walking away from responsibility.. same as all polluters do. Not to be totally crass, but just imagine all the money lost and lives ruined by the medical costs set in motion by these time-bombs..

I often marvel at my own longevity after being sprayed with DDT fog twice a day for 8 years..

[hootinholler]

5. Lejune is a huge cancer cluster

And a cluster fuck.

[cbayer]

6. Good documentary on this for those that are interested:

Semper Fi: Always Faithful
2011NR
1hr 16m

Average of 28,839 ratings: 3.9 stars
This wrenching documentary follows Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger, who lost his daughter to a rare leukemia, as he reveals how the Marine Corps has betrayed its soldiers and their families by exposing them to toxic water at a base in North Carolina.

[Tempest]

7. Available for streaming on Netflix

My brother-in-law and the cancers that killed him is mentioned in it.

[cbayer]

8. So sorry about your brother-in-law.

There are some truly tragic stories in the film.

[BadgerKid]

9. Slight OT: Interesting site on cancer maps from the CDC.

http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DCPC_INCA/DCPC_INCA.aspx

[CatWoman]

11. wow

that division (DCPC - Division of Cancer Control and Prevention) is in my center

[datasuspect]

10. drinking, smoking, and doing drugs don't necessarily give you breast cancer