9/11 Victim Blog

“Right now this firm [Napoli Bern] is in a state of total crisis. “It is on the verge of going into free fall to complete disaster” and “the depth of hatred in this instance is extraordinary.”

The untimely death of these firefighters have given lawmakers even more of a reason to extend the 9/11 Bill. The Zadroga Bill is expected to expire in 2016 which will leave many first responders, area workers and survivors with 9/11 related cancers and other illnesses without free medical care. Both the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and the World Trade Center Health Program are funded under the Zadroga Bill. If you have been diagnosed with a 9/11 related cancer before October 12, 2012, the deadline to register with the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is October 12, 2014.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared in lower Manhattan as the special guest for the fundraiser sponsored by the New York State AFL-CIO and the non-profit 9/11 Health Watch, calling on Congress to pass legislation to extend the James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act.

9/11 Health Watch is an organization that closely watches the operation and management of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act to ensure that first responders and survivors get the proper medical care and compensation for their 9/11 related illnesses under the bill. Both the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and the World Trade Center Health Program are all federally funded under the Zadroga Act.

Even after 13 years, many are just now being diagnosed 9/11 related illnesses. The most concerning is the amount of cancer cases that have been surfacing among responders and survivors recently. Many will still need care for their 9/11 related illnesses way after the program expires. For example, many 9/11 cancers may not be diagnosed until after 2016. This is just one of the reasons why it needs to continue. First Responders and survivors should be able to have monitoring and care of their 9/11 related cancer and other illnesses throughout their lifetime.

Today, many 9/11 first responders, survivors and area workers have been suffering with breathing complications such as chronic sinusitis, COPD and other pulmonary diseases. The most alarming are the increasing cancer cases coming out in staggering numbers among those exposed. When the ruling was passed in October, 2012 to include cancer as a 9/11 covered condition under the Zadrogra Act. There are now 62 different types of cancers that are recognized as a 9/11 related condition.