Zalev Brothers Scrap Yard Windsor, Ontario

Residents living in Remington Park are  concerned about a reported cancer cluster in their area.

According to the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, the definition of a cancer cluster is “A greater-than-expected number of cancer cases that occurs within a group of people in a geographic area over a period of time.”

 Michael Janisse, spokesperson for the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, said lung cancer in Remington Park is significantly higher than in Windsor-Essex and in the province.

“These residents were diagnosed with cancer that began in the lungs as opposed to beginning somewhere else in the body and spreading to the lungs,” said Janisse. “This type of cancer over this time period among residents of this geographic location was statistically significant, when compared to provincial and Windsor-Essex County averages.” 

The April 2014 report stems from Cancer Care Ontario numbers that show Remington Park had 24 new incidents of lung cancer between 2000 and 2009.

The 24 new cases work out to 109.9 cases per 100,000 population, compared to 59.7 for Windsor and 52.5 for Ontario.

 According to the report the neighborhood is defined as the area bordered by Howard Avenue, South Pacific Avenue, Parent Avenue and Grand Marais Blvd Road.

 On Wednesday, April 8 the WECHU on Wednesday launched an online investigation into a possible cancer cluster in Remington Park. The purpose of the online tool is to ask respondents about their history, including exposure to possible carcinogens such as smoking, radon gas and more.

“This will help the investigators to narrow down causes that may have been around 30 years ago,” said Janisse.

Alice Lea,  a resident of Remington Park, for more than 30 years, is worried because her mother died from lung cancer in 1999 and her dad is still fighting the same disease.
“I am certain there is something in this area,” said Lea. “Now I am worried about myself.”

 William Nathan, another resident of Remington Park, said many of the people  who used to live in the neighborhood cite the nearby Zalev Brothers metal recycling yard as their prime suspect for lung cancer.

 A number of Remington Park residents who were diagnosed with cancer say they are certain that pollution is the primary cause of their disease, according  Nathan.

“They believe Remington Park has been plagued with cancer for decades because of a surrounding stew of toxic problems,” said Nathan. “They think it’s not just about lung cancer, either, nor just between 2000 and 2009.”

“We are conducting a preliminary investigation at this time prior to the actual investigation,” said Janisse. “We have also just updated our website and are holding a town hall on Wednesday, April 29 at the Optimist Community Center.”