Cancer cases and deaths among BHS alumni include:
44 cases of Alumni that have died of Leukemia/Lymphoma or Cancer related disease
ANOTHER CASE of LEUKEMIA from class of 1979 taking the total in the class of 1979 to 3!
68 cases of Cancer currently or are a Cancer survivor
Most alumni did NOT have a FAMILY HISTORY of cancer!
Most alumni were told that their cancer was one that is usually diagnosed later in life.
The information for our "stats" and "graphs" has been obtained from talking with and/or email from approx 360 BHS alumni. Not nearly a fraction of the THOUSANDS that ever attended or worked at BHS.
The Health Dept has said that a cancer cluster is defined as:
" Cases of cancer are more likely to represent a cluster if they involve any of the following (1) a large number of cases of one type of cancer, rather than several different types; (2) a rare type of cancer rather than a common type; and (3) a number of a certain type of cancer in age groups not usually affected by that cancer".
We have cancers that relate to all three of the criteria!!!!!!!!!!
There are also the following noted:
30 cases of Birth Defects born to children of BHS alumni
24 cases of Autoimmune Disorders
Did you know?????????????? ******UPDATE*****Testing ordered by the FL D.E.P was completed in Nov 2007. According to their "results" there was no contamination at BHS. However upon researching the test results report from 2007 there is new evidence that PROVES there WAS Benzene in the AQUIFER in the vicinity of the BHS campus. The Benzene that was in the AQUIFER was listed as EXCESSIVELY CONTAMINATED!!!
- 1 gallon of fuel can contaminate 1 MILLION gallons of water!
There was a 10,000 gal Diesel Storage Tank at the Old Bayshore High School that ACCORDING TO SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES was believed to have been leaking! That tank was removed from the ground in October of 1995.
In 1989 there was a 350 gal Fuel Oil tank that was removed from the ground at old BHS property. Upon removal of that tank MTBE's, Toulene and Xylene was found to be in the ground
Diesel Fuel contains Benzene
Benzene is a known human carcinogen that suppresses Bone Marrow production and leads to Leukemia and other cancers
Other tests conducted at the BHS also show elevated levels of formaldehyde and asbestos which are also know human carcinogens
There is no documentation available from the Manatee County School Board, Manatee County Environmental Department nor the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as to who installed the tanks at the Old Bayshore High School.
That the old BHS property sits there unused? It is fenced and cross fenced off with signs that tell you to "STAY OFF THE FIELD!"
Is that a test well out front where the old school used to sit?