Can We Talk Kids and Environmental Issues?
This Environmental Issue Caught the Eye of Our Student Researchers
by David Azar & Lauren Tazbaz
“Can you imagine the trauma of it? Seeing your new granddaughter come out like that?” said Mike Ryan, an Army veteran, after his mother had witnessed the birth of his severely deformed daughter, suffering 22 congenital disabilities, including a hole in her heart, no lower digestive system, deformed arms and fingers, and dysfunctional kidneys, on top of many other conditions.
It baffled Ryan; how could this tragedy have possibly happened? No one on either side of his family had a history of congenital disabilities, and neither the mom nor dad smoked or used drugs. It was not until he did some research that he tied this tragedy back to his time in Vietnam, working with the toxic herbicide known as “Agent Orange.”
Agent Orange is one of the many substances that have reportedly affected over four million veterans, including the real and tragic case of Mike Ryan. Four million veterans who have risked their lives to serve this country and are now risking the lives of their sons and daughters as a result.
Military veterans and their descendants are currently being affected by environmental toxins, particularly Agent Orange. However, little attention has been given to the data on congenital disabilities, and there has been insufficient research on the potential risks. This is causing ongoing harm and needs to be addressed adequately.
Is this a big deal? Absolutely. The direct effects of Agent Orange are not only well-documented but also have a widespread impact, affecting over three hundred thousand veterans. As heartbreaking as Ryan’s story is, it is not the only one. ProPublica and The Virginian-Pilot led a project where they highlighted the voices of over 6,000 veterans and their family members who were affected by Agent Orange. From stories of contracting cancer to living in fear of having children, Agent Orange has made long-lasting and devastating effects on thousands of veterans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs medical staff has physically examined over six hundred thousand veterans over the past thirty-four years. With every examination for potential Agent Orange risk, they ask about their children’s congenital disabilities. Despite a vast amount of data, the VA has never raised serious concerns about potential congenital disabilities in children of veterans exposed to Agent Orange. This lack of oversight raises important questions about the well-being of these children.
While the effects of environmental toxins on veterans have been researched and studied, the same cannot be said for their children. The unfortunate truth is that there is a real lack of government-led studies into the effects of toxic exposure on descendants of toxic-exposed veterans. Currently, 2nd Generation Agent Orange health conditions include Spina Bifida, Neurological Disorders like ADHD, Autoimmune Diseases, and certain types of cancer.
A greater understanding of these effects and potential cures is still needed to empower lawmakers and doctors to make tangible efforts to help those affected by these environmental toxins.
These concerns for Agent Orange have yet to be wholly overlooked, and many people in the scientific community are urging that more should be done. In 2008, the panel of the Institute of Medicine said that the “VA should review all the possible cognitive and developmental effects in offspring of veterans. Such a review should include the possibility of effects on grandchildren, which are of growing concern to veterans and their families.” Despite this, there is still a lack of progress on this issue that needs to be done to see tangible progress.
So, more importantly, what should be done? Moreover, can I personally make any changes? The fortunate answer is yes. There is a bill currently trying to be passed in Congress called The Molly R. Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans Act. If passed, it would commission first-of-its-kind, comprehensive research into health conditions of toxic-exposed veterans’ descendants.
You can make a real impact in getting this legislation through by contacting your Representative to Support the Bill by going to The Lift & Shift Foundation to get more information on contacting your Senator. We can be one step closer to helping those like Mike Ryan’s family and thousands of others currently impacted by Agent Orange and see real lives changed.
David Azar is a high school student with a passion for the environment. As a Research Assistant, interning with the Lift And Shift Foundation, David learned about the environmental hazards veterans face and spent his internship advocating for more research.
Lauren Tazbaz is a high school student with a passion for the environment. She interned with the Lift And Shift Foundation as a Science Ambassador, where she learned about the impacts environmental hazards have on veteran’s lives and contributed research to the advocacy of these hazards.
