Residents near Coldwater Creek in St. Louis are experiencing a disproportionately high rate of cancers and other serious illnesses, raising concerns about the area’s past involvement in the Manhattan Project. Many remember idyllic childhoods playing near the creek, but now they face a stark reality of frequent funerals and diagnoses of rare diseases.
Community members like Karen Nickel, who founded Just Moms STL, report entire neighborhoods affected by cancers and autoimmune diseases. They describe witnessing unusually young people develop cysts and masses, and families losing multiple members to aggressive illnesses. Teresa Rumfelt’s sister, Via Von Banks, died from ALS, a disease some studies link to radiation.
Residents are demanding that the government expand compensation programs to include the St. Louis area, allowing for compensation and further research into the health impacts of the nuclear waste. While the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are working on cleanup efforts, many locals feel their concerns are not being adequately addressed.
Healthcare professionals like Dr. Gautum Agarwal are taking the community’s concerns seriously, screening patients who live near the creek more frequently. However, experts like Prof. Roger Lewis argue that while there is some risk, it is limited and not supported by conclusive data.
Despite differing expert opinions, the community remains deeply concerned. They live with a sense of inevitability, expecting to develop serious illnesses due to their proximity to the contaminated creek.
