Six years ago my mother died of a very aggressive brain cancer (GBM) in her early 50's. One of the things that causes this kind of brain cancer is exposure to radiation. While she was in the hospital in our small town she was next to a man who was diagnosed with the same aggressive of brain cancer. I talked to his family as we were both struggling to figure out what to do. One morning the man's wife brought me the study linked below. I discovered that we lived in a "cancer belt" and even the insurance agents called it that. As time went on we heard stories about people traveling to Birmingham, Al for cancer treatment and the doctors/staff there saying something to the effect of... "Let me guess. You're from the Shoals area." Is that proof of anything? No, but read the article linked below.
I can't count the family members we've lost to cancer or who have cancer currently.
Despite clamor, fallout study still unreleased
By Peter Eisler, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — A government study estimating that about 15,000 Americans died from cancer as a result of Cold War nuclear fallout has been withheld from the public for nearly a year. The $1.85 million study, which occupied several top-notch scientists for two years, has been sitting in administrative limbo since early last summer while a host of local health officials, citizens groups and researchers have been clamoring to see it.
"The process seems aimed at slowing down information release and minimizing the consequences," says Bob Schaeffer of the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, a coalition of local and national citizens groups.
"This study can help identify people at risk, and that could save lives if those people can get screening or early treatment for some of these cancers," says Schaeffer.
Portions of the still-unreleased study were obtained by USA TODAY. It was prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. Its release has been delayed for "internal reviews" at the Department of Health and Human Services, which controls the two research institutions. Officials say the scramble to deal with terrorism-related duties in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks also has held up the study's release.
That has done little to assuage those waiting to see it, including members of Congress.
"Some federal government bureaucrat has been holding onto this information for the past months and years," says Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who was instrumental in launching the study in 1998. "No more stalling. We need to fully assess the threats posed by the radioactive (fallout)."
More here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/0... Also, make sure you look at the map where the fallout settled.
Another article here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/0... 
