The state of Ohio is shifting focus when it comes to fighting cancer. The head of Ohio's cancer control program at the Department of Health wants to put more money towards prevention, as opposed to investigating cancer clusters.
One of those major cluster studies has been in Clyde. Alexa Brown was one of dozens of children diagnosed with cancer in the Clyde area over a 15-year period. She died several years after she was diagnosed.
Her father, Warren Brown, has mixed emotions about the policy change.
"I believe there will be more Alexas as a result of this type of decision," he says.
Alexa was diagnosed with brain cancer when she was just 8 years old. She died at age 11.
"I believe the state department of health and the local health departments should investigate those issues, as opposed to back away from them," Warren says.
Despite his concerns about the changes when it comes to cancer cluster investigations, Warren brown is also hopeful.
"I am encouraged if they truly sink their teeth into prevention and early detection," he says.
According to the head of the cancer control program, cancer cluster investigations take a lot of time and money, and they often don't yield results, despite typically high expectations.
However, the state department of health is not ruling out involvement in cancer cluster cases, saying they will look at things on a case by case basis.
"They left themselves enough wiggle room to still handle the occasional investigation if needed and warranted," says Warren.
He says, regardless of how you go about doing it, fighting back against the often deadly disease, especially when it comes to the youngest victims, is the most important thing.
"I hope that we can we bring this to light, and not just locally, but nationally as well. People need to understand that childhood cancer research is seriously underfunded when compared to adult cancer research," he says.
The state health department started the Clyde cancer cluster investigation in 2006. The report found no known cause for the high cancer rates.
Results of a federal EPA report about possible environmental problems in Clyde are expected by the end of this month.
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