Thursday, May 2, 2013

VICTORY!

SB 380  Maryland Senate Bill Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Workgroup on Cancer Clusters and Environmental Causes of Cancer
http://openstates.org/md/bills/2013/SB380/


UNPRECEDENTED LEGISLATIVE VICTORY FOR CANCER VICTIMS ACROSS MARYLAND
 
Annapolis, Md. (Wednesday, May 1, 2013) - Landmark victory for Frederick residents and a pastor and father of three as Maryland's Governor prepares to sign a cancer bill into law this week:
 
WHAT:       Governor Martin O'Malley will sign Cancer Cluster bill SB380E into law.
WHEN:      Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.
                 Press Conference immediately following bill signing (Joint press conference - Senator   C. Anthony Muse and Kristen Renee Foundation and Founder Randy A. White) on the House Steps.
 
WHERE:     Governor's Office
                 Maryland State House
                 100 State Circle
                 Annapolis, MD 21401
                 (410) 974-3901
 
Parking: Hillman Garage, 150 Gorman St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (Between Main St. and Duke of Gloucester). Ask for State House. 
Senate Bill 380 - Requires the department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of the Environment to head a workgroup including legislators and representatives, and requires the DHMH to report to the Governor and Assembly their findings by specific deadlines.
The Kristen Renee foundation and its leader Randy White, pioneered a cancer cluster investigation in neighborhoods filled with cancer cases that are believed to be linked to the Fort Detrick military base and its toxic waste site known as Area B.
Since early 2010, Pastor White began tracing his daughter Kristen's brain cancer and death in 2008 (five years ago this week) to what doctors claimed to be environmental causation.
When his children's mother was diagnosed in 2010 with Stage 4 renal cell carcinoma, and the family's former neighbors from Area B began contacting White's foundation, the group knew they were in uncharted territory. As the numbers of families reporting cancer to the Kristen Renee Foundation escalated into the hundreds, White started reaching out to senators and congressmen in a plea for legislative support.
Senator C. Anthony Muse (D) Maryland responded to that plea, soon becoming a tremendous ally and friend to the Frederick community by helping the Foundation draft the cancer bill, SB380, now set to be signed into law by Governor O'Malley on Thursday, May 2nd in Annapolis.
In a cohesive effort between Senator Muse, Randy White's Kristen Renee Foundation, Frederick county residents and Representative Ron Young, we have come through major disputes and adversity, resulting in unprecedented victory, proving to residents in Maryland that we truly care for their health and well-being.

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