Untold Stories From September 11: The Long-term Health Effects of the World Trade Center Attack

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Untold Stories From September 11: The Long-term Health Effects of the World Trade Center Attack

The immediate impacts of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) are well known. Two planes hijacked by terrorists struck the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, igniting fires that led to their collapse. The death toll that day exceeded 2,700 people.

The long-term impacts of the attack, however, are not so well known. The collapse of the Twin Towers released a cloud of toxins that lingered around Ground Zero for months. Those exposed to the toxins, which the US government estimates to include 400,000 people, face adverse health effects that, in some cases, are only now starting to be fully understood.

“The nation remembers the day itself, but not enough people understand what has happened to 9/11 survivors in the years since,” says Michael Barasch, managing partner of Barasch & McGarry Law Firm. “Illness doesn’t make headlines the way disaster does. It unfolds quietly, over decades, and that makes it easier for society to move on while survivors continue to suffer physically and emotionally.”

Barasch is an attorney and advocate for victims of the September 11 attacks. For 25 years, he has fought to protect victims’ legal rights and ensure they receive the benefits to which they are entitled. Barasch and the partners at the firm have made numerous trips to Washington, DC, to lobby congressional representatives on issues affecting the 9/11 community, resulting in federal and state legislation supporting 9/11 victims.

“Forgetting 9/11 survivors would mean abandoning them,” Barasch says. “The 9/11 community did not choose what they were exposed to, and they cannot escape the consequences. As advocates, we are committed to reminding the country that 9/11 did not end on 9/11. For hundreds of thousands of people, it is still happening.”

Confusion about health impacts keeps 9/11 victims from seeking care

The lack of media attention given to 9/11-related illnesses has created a knowledge gap about the attack’s long-term health impacts. Many remain unaware of the wide variety of illnesses that have been linked to the 9/11 attacks, as well as who may have experienced dangerous exposure to 9/11 toxins.

For example, 69 types of cancer have been officially identified as being linked to 9/11 exposure, including lung, breast, prostate, and kidney cancers. Ensuring information on health conditions related to 9/11 exposure is widely disseminated helps those suffering from such conditions get the support and compensation that the US government has made available to 9/11 survivors.

“Many who currently or formerly lived or worked in Lower Manhattan remember Christine Todd Whitman, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, telling New Yorkers that the air in Lower Manhattan was ‘safe to breathe’ just days after the attacks,” Barasch says. “We now know the air was not safe to breathe. Many of the toxins released in the dust, smoke, and fumes surrounding the WTC site stayed in the air for much longer than the first few days or weeks after the disaster. Part of advocating for 9/11 survivors is informing people who still may be unaware that their WTC exposure can lead to physical health problems.”

The threats posed by not knowing about the effects of 9/11 exposure are increased by the fact that many 9/11-related health conditions can take years, if not decades, to be detected naturally. Education on the risks associated with exposure can be the catalyst for someone to explore and uncover a 9/11-related health issue.

“One of the most troubling patterns is how late many illnesses appear,” Barasch shares. “People are being diagnosed 20 or more years after exposure. That delay causes confusion, denial, and sometimes missed opportunities for care.”

Lack of awareness about the WTC Health Program keeps 9/11 victims from accessing benefits

The World Trade Center Health Program was established following the 9/11 attacks to provide free medical monitoring and treatment to those present during the attacks and to eligible rescue and recovery workers who responded to them. It covers a wide range of WTC-related health conditions, including all of the cancers linked to 9/11 exposure, certain respiratory diseases, and some digestive disorders. The program also includes coverage for mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Unfortunately, statistics suggest that hundreds of thousands of people who may be eligible for support through the program have yet to tap into its benefits. The CDC reports that the WTC Health Program currently serves approximately 140,000 survivors and responders, barely a third of the approximately 400,000 people believed to have been affected.

“The biggest problem I see in my advocacy work is that many survivors do not know these programs exist,” Barasch says. “They assume that if they were not responders, they do not qualify for these life-changing benefits. That misunderstanding keeps people from getting medical monitoring, treatment, and compensation they may be entitled to.”

More advocacy is needed to boost awareness of 9/11 health risks and support

The tireless work of 9/11 survivor advocates like Michael Barasch over the past 25 years has made a considerable difference in the public health arena, drawing attention to health concerns and securing the assistance needed to improve health outcomes. But the work isn’t done. As the statistics on WTC Health Program participation show, there are still hundreds of thousands of people who may be affected by 9/11 but are not yet getting the care they need.

“I want survivors to know that their lives matter, their illnesses are real, and their country still sees them,” Barasch says. “And I want future generations to understand that the true cost of 9/11 is measured not just in loss of life that day, but in the lives still being changed by it now. Keeping a spotlight on 9/11 survivors and their struggles is a key part of achieving those goals.”