County to hold cancer forum this week
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 11:40 PM PDT
By The Daily News
Printable version
E-mail this articleThe Cowlitz County Health Department will hold a public forum Thursday to discuss community concerns about local leukemia and aplastic anemia cases.
The department was contacted after three young girls at the same school and on the same soccer team were diagnosed with leukemia or aplastic anemia in one year. Health officials determined there aren’t enough overall cases in the county to declare a cancer cluster or merit further study at this time. In addition, the three girls have three separate diseases, making it less likely they’re connected.
Still, parents and others believe there must be some sort of connection.
To answer the public’s questions about the situation, the department decided to hold the public forum. It will be moderated by Dr. Alan Melnick, the county’s acting health officer. Experts from the Southwest Clean Air Agency, state Department of Ecology, state Department of Health, county health department and the Child & Adolescent Clinic will be available to answer questions.
The forum is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Cowlitz PUD Auditorium, 961 12th Ave., Longview.
Related articles:
Soccer team cancer cases prompt health forum (Aug. 22)
Three girls on Robert Gray soccer team contract serious illnesses (Aug. 3)
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