Additional Coverage:
- DR MARC SIEGEL: Twenty-five years after 9/11, the deadly health crisis is still claiming lives (foxnews.com)
On September 11, 2001, as the alerts sounded, my first instinct was to ensure my children’s safety before heading to what I considered my home base-Bellevue Hospital. There, I helped evacuate the facility where I had trained, coordinating the transfer of patients to prepare for potential survivors from the World Trade Center attacks. We waited for hours, but the survivors never arrived.
A few days later, I visited Ground Zero. Upon arrival, I was given an N95 mask as I navigated the rubble, fully aware of the toxic chemicals and fumes lingering in the air. Despite the bright sunshine, a haze still hung over the site.
Recently, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released 170,000 documents related to 9/11, suggesting the public was misled about the disaster’s aftermath. My response is simple: we knew.
We understood the serious health risks posed by the molten debris and toxic exposure. These dangers affected not only first responders-heroes who risked their lives to save others-but also survivors and residents of nearby neighborhoods. The consequences of that day continue to unfold across generations.
Over the years, I have treated many patients suffering from ailments linked to direct exposure to Ground Zero toxins, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), asthma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and various cancers. Many patients lived in the surrounding areas and feared their symptoms were connected to the exposure. The World Trade Center Health Program has been instrumental in monitoring these individuals, providing screenings such as chest CT scans to catch health issues early.
Research has since confirmed a direct connection between 9/11 toxins and rising cancer rates. The Northwell WTC Health Program reports that 57,000 cancer cases have been linked to toxic debris from that day, with a 75% increase in cases projected between 2023 and 2025. Lung cancer rates have doubled in five years, while skin, prostate, breast, thyroid cancers, and lymphomas are also common among those exposed.
Monitoring continues as these trends persist. Tragically, more than 9,000 people have died from health complications related to 9/11 exposure-surpassing the number of lives lost during the attacks themselves.
The emotional and physical scars of 9/11 remain with us. The event profoundly altered the American psyche, leaving New Yorkers both stronger and more cautious. While the full extent of the health impacts was initially unknown, we did our best to predict, screen, and treat those affected.
We knew the risks. What we could not foresee was just how deeply they would affect so many lives for years to come.