🔗 Share this article

A local mother and Fraser's father faced devastating diagnosis in 2018 when their young son their baby was diagnosed with a rare type of childhood cancer.

An extended period of gruelling treatment came next, including cancer medications, targeted radiation, and immune system treatments before a bone marrow procedure. Fraser, by age three, made a “miraculous recovery” from the surgery, with doctors announcing the cancer in recovery.

As Fraser improved that Gaffney, aged thirty-six, began investigating explanations. She could not stop thinking about comments made by hospital staff at the time of her Fraser's condition. “It keeps us up at night wondering how he got his illness,” a consultant had told her.

“We're constantly wondering wondering how Fraser got his cancer,” a specialist had informed her.

Past Events

The negligent management of millions of tonnes of contaminated waste after the cessation of Europe’s largest steelworks in this community in 1979 had “always been a known thing,” said Alison. A court ruling linked the council’s negligent clean-up of the site to a string of developmental issues in local children during the twentieth century.

Gradually, the concerned mother started to associate the case to her own. “[The disease] is not inherited,” she said. “What's the explanation? … It must be down to the community. All these kids [with] illness.

“Every resident knows someone who’s got a minor [with] the disease. This isn't typical.”

Grassroots Movement

Alison and Andy started to connect with other families in Corby with similar stories – including some of Alison's former classmates at a local school – and the group began compiling thorough information on those involved. They now lead a campaign representing about 130 families with instances of pediatric illness starting from 1988.

The organization has been urging the local authority to investigate any connections between instances of pediatric illness in the town and the decommissioning of the industrial site. At the end of this month, health authorities are expected to release their study of whether the town has had a unusually high rate of occurrences of childhood cancer for its inhabitants of the local community.

“Our only goal is to attempt to safeguard coming generations so they do not have to endure the suffering that we've experienced,” said Gaffney.

Historical Context

The decision in the 2009 civil claim accepted that, between a fourteen-year period, vast quantities of hazardous waste from the steel plant were transported “typically” from the one area to a designated site in the opposite end – with “significant amounts” of contaminated substances moved and dropped on public roads and “large volumes” of dust generated by the cleanup.

Nevertheless, it also mentioned reports from the regulatory body in 1997 that discovered collections of contaminated material that had been left at this location were later taken away in “large quantities”.

Additional Issues

Gaffney suspects toxic substances was not exclusively placed at the main disposal area but in additional areas of the town. Recently, she applauded a “significant progress” after local authorities said it would analyze land that could be polluted and study where toxic waste was dumped.

Gaffney said local officials confirmed in the meeting that they lacked information where the sites of toxic materials could be. “They said: ‘We're uncertain where these locations are. We have no documentation, we have nothing on it.’”

Local Backing

The council’s announcement was also welcomed by another parent, a educational worker at a local school, whose young child, her daughter, was found to have blood cancer in June this year.

“I was forced to trim my little girl's scalp because her locks was coming out from the medications she had to take to eliminate her illness. Therefore it’s in our interest, it’s in Bella’s interest [for the council] to disclose that data,” she explained.

“Countless people in the community that have been diagnosed with youth disease and I believe it’s impossible to overlook – it needs looking at. This can’t be normal.”

Family Experiences

Another resident, aged thirty-one, who is employed in business and now has moved away, said parents merited “complete and utter truth and openness” from the council.

The woman's family member, Eve, succumbed on a specific date after being diagnosed with a rare bone cancer at the childhood. Eve, who collected money for cancer charities, was “one of the most charming, funniest and kindest” individuals, Lyons recalled.

Her family member recalls the effect of the cessation of the steel plant on the town, she explained. “She recalled you could not position your fingers in before you because [of] the red ash.”

“These issues have continued since I’ve probably been about three years old. This duration is unreasonable and it is irresponsibility toward the community members.”

Previous Involvement

A relative, Maggie Mahon, was part of multiple families participating in the court proceeding against the previous administration after her baby was born with a congenital issue. Her partner, the man, was one of the truck operators involved in handling substances from the steelworks. Their experience was portrayed in a recent series, and demonstrated the woman beating the dust from her husband’s jeans.

Alison said the organization has been approached by informants who were responsible for the dumping of substances in the area.