A meeting was held June 3, 2010 to release the results of PHASE 2 of the Pratt and Whitney Brain Cancer Study at the Marriott Rocky Hill Hotel in Rocky Hill, Connecticut.   Earlier in the day the researchers gave a presentation of the results to the employees at the plant and also held a Press Conference prior to the Public Family Meeting.   

As you all probably know I reside in Florida now and due to some unforeseen  events, was not able to personally attend the Public Family meeting but my son John Shea was in attendance and has video taped the meeting and as soon as he is able to get it up on line I will put a link in our website to guide you to where you can view it.  I did, however, attend via phone conference the meeting the day before with the CFW (Communications Facilitation Workgroup)  to get all the information you would be getting at the family meeting.

I am very frustrated with the results of Phase II in that they seem very much the same as the results that came from Phase I.  When you compare these two fact sheets, they are there seems to be little more info than that of Sept of 2008. 

We were informed that the final results, Phase III, would be coming out sometime during the first quarter of next year.  This study has been on going since 2001 and has per their results: "Included 212,513 men and women who worked in one of eight Connecticut plants from 1952 to 2001 and who were alive between 1976 and 2004. "The researchers identified 489 cases of malignant CNS (CNS Neoplasms) tumors among the workers    273 were glioblastomas" They also stated that  "when compared the general population of the US and CT, the malignant cancer rates in workers were the same as or lower than US and CT ".

  MY QUESTIONS IS:   According to the State Cancer Incident Rates Report (http://statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov)  the Connecticut incidence rate states there should be 7.1 cases  per 100,000 people.   At that rate if you have 212,513 people you should only have approximately 20 cases so how can they justify 489 cases  with 273 glios as not being a problem and a cluster. 

I have attending several meetings in West Palm Beach at the Acreage where the Florida Department of Health declared on February 1, 2010 that this group of residents (in the vicinity of P&W) have a "Pediatric Cancer Cluster"  in which 3 cases of brain cancer was found in children in a group of 50,000 residents.  They have only been studying this for about one year and it seems they understand the national and state cancer rates.  What's our problem.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Why hasn't the Connecticut Department of Health refused to do a study when other states have taken on this task.  Why hasn't there been a request for Federal Investigation, why hasn't anyone from the State of Connecticut Administration or any of the senators or congress people gotten more involved with the lives of the people of the State of Connecticut.   You should all be asking these questions, I know I will again be asking these questions.  

I hope we can get some more help somewhere to get answers,    Sincerely   Carol Shea  352-638-9260   carolee.shea@comcast.net

Let me know how you feel.