Did Turanoble fallout cause an increase in thyroid cancer for children living in the united states?

Question

When I was a child 10 years old I remember seeing on tv this major meltdown of a nucular power plant in russia called Turnoble. Some children my age had parents that told them to stop drinking milk In hopes that there child would avoid fallout that ended up in the grass that cow's ate. I kept on drinking milk anyway. Now I am 31 and have to have my thyroid removed because of a hardened mass that has abnormal cells. Is this cancer? Is it caused by exposure to radiation? Do I have the meltdown of a nuclular power plant to blame for it?

Answer 1

I doubt very much you were only affected by the Chernobyl fallout. There is an overall increase of immune suppress diseases on the rise, due to all the pollution in our environment & worldwide nuclear testing.

A study was mandated by Congress through legislation passed in 1998, after a 1997 National Cancer Institute report that dealt with only one radionuclide, iodine-131, and doses to the thyroid alone showed extensive exposures across the United States. Hot spots were scattered across the continent. The most affected counties were as far away as Idaho and Montana.

"The 1997 report indicates that some farm children, those who drank goat's milk in the 1950s in high fallout areas were as severely exposed as the worst exposed children after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. Such exposure creates a high probability of a variety of illnesses," said Dr. Makhijani. "Yet the government did nothing to inform the people in these affected areas."

Kenneth Strickler, who was born in 1954 in Challis, Idaho, a high fallout area, and who grew up there, learned in 1998 that he had thyroid cancer after his physician ran some tests. "The government should make the public aware of the symptoms of the types of cancer that might be caused from downwind syndrome," he said. "They should publish an ad in the newspapers so that people can look for more information at their web site."

He suspected that a malfunctioning thyroid might be responsible for his strange metabolic symptoms as a result of information about thyroid radiation doses from fallout given to him by his sister, Nikki Doll. Ms. Doll attended a talk given in 1998 in Challis by Dr. Makhijani as part of a tour organized by the Snake River Alliance.

"It is very frightening to know that radioactive tests were conducted by the United States and other countries with the knowledge that some harm might come to those who lived in the path of fallout," said Ms. Doll. "If the public is made aware of the possible dangers that hide in their environment, they can be alert to the symptoms and seek early diagnosis and treatment of a disease if it strikes. The U.S. government needs to be responsible for its actions and to inform us about what they did and how it is affecting our lives and how it will continue to affect the lives of those we love."

I would also check in with your family & see if Thyroid disease runs in your family. Thyroid disease usually affects more women then men & shows up for women during pregnancy or after menopause.

*Remember our own Nuclear accident "Three Mile Island" which happened in March 1979, 7 years prior. I think, this would probably have concerned your parents more in terms of what you ate & drank.

Answer 2

It was called the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant meltdown and the geographic fall out area included Western Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Northern Europe and Eastern North America. The largest contamination area was in the Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.

I am not sure if your particular cancer can be attributed to the Chernobyl disaster. There is always that question, especially if you lived in the eastern part of the US. The majority of children affected by thyroid cancer though are in the Chernobyl area.

You can read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster

Grim Fallout from Chernobyl
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976469,00.html

Global Radiation from Chernobyl
http://users.owt.com/smsrpm/Chernobyl/glbrad.html

Chernobyl: Assessment of Radiological and Health Impacts
http://www.nea.fr/html/rp/chernobyl/

Chernobyl links:
http://www.belarusguide.com/chernobyl1/chfacts.htm

I recall being horrified about the Chernobyl disaster. There were actually many heroes on that day as the fire fighters and rescue workers that arrived at the burning nuclear power plant knew that they would probably not survive. They went ahead anyway and contained the spred of fire and tried to put a stop to the disaster. Many of the people living in the area were never even warned that the power plant was in a melt down. And, the soviets failed to even mention it to the rest of the world for something like three days. I do feel this was a turning point for all humans though once we realized the impact that one nuclear power plant meltdown would have on the global community. A painful lesson was learned that day by all.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

yes.