Coldwater Creek in north St. Louis County not linked to cancer, report says
Source: St. Louis Post-dispatch
Jennifer Smith of O’Fallon, Mo., said that changing the way information is collected from cancer patients was one goal of a Coldwater Creek Facebook group that has grown to more than 7,000 members who have reported thousands of cancers, autoimmune disorders and birth defects in their families.
Smith, 41, lived in Florissant from 1987 to 1996. She remembers the creek, which ran behind her backyard, periodically flooding the home’s basement and her bedroom when she was a teenager. When she was diagnosed with leukemia seven years ago, she was living in Nevada and is included in only that state’s cancer statistics.
“I’m a perfect example of why that report is invalid,” Smith said. “My type of cancer you get from ionizing radiation. There’s just no doubt in my mind that (the creek) is where it came from and other people have been affected. My goal is using the numbers in our favor to help let officials know that we’re not going anywhere, and we want answers.”
Colditz said Siteman Cancer Center researchers had focused on improving the screening and prevention programs for breast and colon cancers where the risk is higher in north St. Louis city and county. He said the residents’ concerns about Coldwater Creek could inspire further research, particularly on the 22 appendix cancer cases reported on the Facebook page.
Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/coldwater-creek-in-north-st-louis-county-not-linked-to/article_0e66e0ab-b25a-5a37-a2ae-276dd2073693.html
here's the facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217215444963933/572366226115518
