Do not let you Brain Tumor dictate your life. If you live your Life worrying about the future – Than what Good is living. I have seen it to many times; individuals who are depressed about their prognosis and live in despair. (See Prognosis Statistics)
Most are surprised that I worked through both radiation and chemo (Temodar) as an IT Director. I would leave at 4 PM, get my head microwaved at 4:30 PM and home by 5:30 PM.
I hope this sentiment gives everyone hope – If I can work as and IT Director, own an e-commerce business all while having a newborn than I feel anything is possible. Just this year alone I have sold $150k on e-commerce sites while working full time.
One of the major side effects of brain surgery, chemo, and radiation is chronic fatigue, short-term memory, and organizational issues. I have a feeling most of the us deal with this daily. However, it is combatable.
Here are a few tricks I have learned
I use Modafinil every morning, and any NO will prescribe you Provigil.
It is not addictive, and it’s not an amphetamine
Due to the toxicity and addiction profile of Amphetamines, I highly recommend not using them. The fact that they give this to children disturbs me.
I cut out coffee and use Cocoa Powder and Hot Water (no sugar) several cups a day.
Modern science shows that what we “think” can change our DNA – Link Here.
As I research into this topic deeper, I found it is clinically proven. If you constantly fill your mind with Stressful Thoughts, your body releases a hormone called Cortisol. Cortisol Weakens the immune system, Impaired cognitive performance, Dampens thyroid function, Blood sugar imbalances, Decreased bone density, Sleep disruption, Decreased muscle mass, Elevated blood pressure, and Slow wound healing.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Meditation releases a hormone called DHEA also known as the “longevity molecule.” DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) Assists the body to fight viral, bacterial and parasitic infections, Prevents inflammation, Supports Thymus Gland, Prevents depression, Declines aging process, Promotes immune health, and Reduces Cortisol.
So what do I mean by channeling energy to fight cancer?
For me, this works better if I pray and then meditate on the thought of divine healing (If you are not spiritual, not a problem, just meditate)
Then I put a song on – you know – that song; Turn the volume to the maximum level – What happens next is what I call God’s Presence or for those who are not religious the goosebumps/chills. When that sense of absolute love come into your conscience, you can channel it.
How?
Slow Down – Be Still – Let the waves come over you. Then focus that omnipresent energy on the site of your tumor. The feeling will only slip when you start thinking so stop thinking, just experience it. Let – It – Go. The more you do it, the longer it lasts.
Yoga, Mediation, Massages, Vigorous Exercise, Mindfulness, Cold Showers, Self Talk, & Muscle Relaxation. These are just a few ways to re-channel negative energy.
Practice makes perfect, and it takes time, but your health is well worth it.
In the end, as we worry about cancers prognosis we attribute to shortening our life span.
Drinking Cocoa Boosts Cognition and Blood Flow in the Brain – I drink 3-4 cups per day. – http://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/issues/9_11/current-articles/Drinking-Cocoa-Boosts-Cognition-and-Blood-Flow-in-the-Brain_1270-1.html
Phenylpiracetam (Carphedon) – www.liftmode.com – Works great; you will build a tolerance quickly, and the effects diminish- cycle use (Every other day max), do not take every day. Side effects: None – Less harmful than caffeine.
Noopept – www.liftmode.com – Some people swear by this and love it, it didn’t do much for me. Side Effects – None – Less harmful than caffeine.
This one is great but not very well studied.
Sunifiram – www.liftmode.com – I particularly enjoyed this one – great energy, mood boost. Cons: Not well studied, build tolerance fast, has to be cycled, side effects not known – although I noticed no side effects. The dose needed for this to work is VERY small like 10MG – do not exceed 10MG on the first dose.
Adrafinil – Big boost in energy, focus & overall mood. Tolerance builds but takes much longer than others. Side effects: The effect on the liver is similar to Tylenol and would not recommend taking every day, I take this one 4-5 days a week, never had any issue. No physical side effects.
Aniracetam – “The relaxing Raceram” Great to take before bed and wake up with a clear head, this is another one of my favorites.
Modafinil – This is by prescription only and is the best Nootropic ever made, it can be purchased online at your own risk – https://modafiniledge.com/ (If customs intercepts it they will destroy it, nothing else will come of it, only order the smallest amount if ordered at all) You cannot be prosecuted for ordering, if you could every person who hates their boss would send it to their house, deny everything if it caught in customs. – http://abcnews.go.com/Health/provigil-secret-success/story… – Side Effects: None whatsoever.
Amphetamine (Adderall) – has substantial risks. In healthy adults, it improves attention, focus, motivation to work, and short-term memory, all by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine release in your prefrontal cortex. Amphetamine also decreases fatigue, but it makes you jittery and can increase anxiety. What worries me about amphetamine is its addictive potential and the fact that it can cause stress and anxiety. Research says it’s only slightly likely to cause addiction in people with ADHD, but we don’t know much about its addictive potential in healthy adults. The addictive potential of methamphetamine and amphetamine which are closely related, how people give this to their children is incomprehensible. Amphetamines cause withdrawal symptoms, so the potential for addiction is there.
L-theanine – is a major component of black and green tea. On its own, Theanine promotes relaxation, alertness, and arousal. Theanine also works synergistically with caffeine. Together, the two increase reaction time, memory, and mental endurance.
Bacopa Monnier – is a small water plant native to India. Bacopa is an adaptogen – it helps your body adapt to stress. It also improves memory in healthy adults [17] and enhances attention and mood in people over 65 [18]. Scientists still don’t fully understand how Bacopa works, but they do know it takes the time to work; study participants didn’t feel its memory-enhancing effects until they’d been supplementing with it daily for four weeks, so if you try Bacopa, stick with it for a month before you give up on it.
LSD – The key to using LSD as a nootropic, according to the Silicon Valley techies, is getting the right dose. They say that when they take micro doses – about 1/10th of a recreational dose – they experience increased positivity, creativity, focus, and empathy.
LSD as a nootropic may not be as crazy as it sounds. It’s certainly a mind-expanding drug, and studies suggest that it’s less risky than its reputation suggests. Even at a full dose (again, ten times a micro-dose), researchers ranked LSD the 4th least dangerous common recreational drug – far below alcohol and nicotine [20] – and historically not a single person has died from LSD overdose. It’s possible to react poorly to LSD’s psychological effects, but micro-doses are below the dose that usually causes hallucinations
My Daily Brain Boost – I take 400MG of Modafinil and a Brain Smoothie (Avocado, Coconut, Organic Frozen Blackberry Mix, Carrots, Kale, Broccoli) every morning .
Vitamin D & MSM Sulfur (Gold Standard)
Four cups a day of raw organic Cocoa powder & hot water
At night I use Aniracetam – Wake up feeling like a million bucks.
Caution – Do not buy or take Phenibut from liftmode I have heard people getting horrible withdrawals from who use it daily. – None of the ones I mentioned above are addictive/cause withdrawals in any way shape or form. I do not take on weekends or slower work days, never once have felt the desire to take on days off.
I take my skills as an IT Director and collect every single substance on God’s green earth that has a negative effect on brain tumors – Then I combine them all together and slam down a drug/supplement cocktail. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor do I condone anyone else doing this regime.
How I did Temodar:
Morning – Avocado, Coconut, Organic Frozen Blackberry Mix, Carrots – Blended with NutiBullet. Vitamin D & Selenium Levietriracitam & Lemictal (2x per day) Green Tea Extract – 3x Per day One Docosahexaenoic Acid – After Lunch Coriolus versicolor – 3x Per Day Gamma-linolenic acid – 1x Dinner MSM – 3x per day Raw Cocoa (Organic Only) with Hot Water – All Day Long Curcumin / Thurmic – 3x Day Ruta Graveolen – 5 tablets of 6c – Twice Daily Calcarea Phosphorica – 2 tablets of 6x – Twice Daily Temdoar 400MG at night – If you can fast all day, do it. Small Dab of Rick Simpson Oil (Cannabinoids) – Before Bed. Melatonin – 15MG
Note: Cancer thrives in a acidic environment, there have been studies that show Prilosec can slow the down cancer. Try your best to stop eating Omega 6 Fats like vegetable oil and increase Omega 3 fats. Grass Feed Butter is one of the best fats due to its Vitamin K content and a must have for a Brain Tumor patient. Good Fats are you friend.
It is something we all fear, for two simple reasons – Fear of the unknown – Fear of the pain we will cause to our loved ones or vice versa.
Even the most devout Christian fear one and other. I recently read an article that 83% of atheists change their religious views while on their deathbed.
The concept of dying is overwhelming, and we battle with the thought every day given our disease. We cannot live in fear of death, fearing our very future existence, one must accept death as part of life. In reality, there is no future there is only the present.
To understand death, we must understand life, here are a few quotes from people who died and came back.
“Life in this world exists for us to test our ideals and learn from them. Learning our lessons here in the physical world is the fastest way to learn.”
“All the suffering in our lives is actually for our good. Out of the most tragic of circumstances springs human growth.”
“Our missions mainly have to do with love, but the purpose of life is also to experience joy, gain spiritual understanding and self-awareness, play with the joyful abandon of a child, absorb ourselves in the delight of each moment, let go of obligation and duty, and live for the pure joy of being.”
How do we deal with death – Anger, Denial, Bargaining, Depression, and finally Acceptance. I find comfort in the fact that one day I too will die, that it is a transition we all have to make. My belief is that there is much more to our existence, that consciousness never truly ends.
Humans are the only creatures that are self-aware enough to ponder the thought of cessation of all biological functions as science would describe it. Although science has zero understand of our consciousness; this could very well be a dream? Or are we a living within a computer simulation (Yes this is a real theory).
What if our life was just our thoughts, that we dictate our future. I know part of that is true what we say and think has outcomes in the future. Having a positive attitude can change your prognosis, and your thoughts can change you DNA (Which is factual).
The fundamentals of life, DNA, has 300,000,000 million base pairs. Working in IT my entire life I try to imagine how long it would take to write 300,000,000 lines of code. However, this is not a fair comparison because DNA is so much more than code, it’s life itself. I find it impossible that this just “happened” – But that is open to dispute.
My Grandfather Paul, tombstone reads “Death is a Victory” – That has always stuck with me.
It is important to note that we are all terminal, in a time of fierce domineering opinions this is undebatable. I wrote this sentiment because I feel we are at a time in the history of the world that we need something to come together… And death, death brings us all together.
The everyday worries that we carry around, worries about money, petty disagreements with others, worries about our work, or not working, about the material things we possess or don’t possess, we realize that these worries are trivial – they mean nothing. All we have to remember is that life, as it is today, is short and temporary – We will all transition.
So then what is the meaning of life? To create those precious memories with the ones we love and those memories will last forever.
To quote Liam Neeson “Everyone says love hurts, but that is not true. Loneliness hurts. Rejection hurts. Losing someone hurts. Envy hurts. Everyone gets these things confused with love, but in reality, love is the only thing in the world that covers up all the pain and makes someone feel wonderful again. Love is the only thing in the world that does not hurt.”
To conclude, Forest Gump said it best…
“You died on a Saturday morning and I had you placed here under our tree. And I had that house of your father’s bulldozed to the ground. Momma always said dyin’ was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn’t. Little Forrest, he’s doing just fine. About to start school again soon. I make his breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. I make sure he combs his hair and brushes his teeth every day. Teaching him how to play ping pong. He’s really good. We fish a lot. And every night, we read a book. He’s so smart, Jenny. You’d be so proud of him. I am. He, uh, wrote a letter, and he says I can’t read it. I’m not supposed to, so I’ll just leave it here for you. Jenny, I don’t know if Momma was right or if, if it’s Lieutenant Dan. I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it’s both. Maybe both is happening at the same time. I miss you, Jenny. If there’s anything you need, I won’t be far away.”
Comparing one person suffering to another is futile because it is subjective and incalculable.
So often we feel like, why me God, what did I do to deserve this?
Before I answer that question, I want to share some quotes of people who were clinically dead and came back.
“All the suffering in our lives is actually for our good. Out of the most tragic of circumstances springs human growth.” (Angie Fenimore)
“God never gives us more challenges in life than we can handle. Rather than jeopardize our spiritual progression or cause more suffering than can be endured, God will bring us home where we can continue progressing.” (RaNelle Wallace)
“As long as we have life here, we are learning, our spirits are growing, and we are coming closer to the divine, even by the things we suffer. We may not always know what to do in our lives, we may be troubled and in pain, but be assured, as long as we are here, we are growing.” (Betty Eadie)
So then, why me God?
God is progressing your soul, and being honest, you were likely part of that plan before birth.
How are we progressing?
Empathy, Love, & Compassion, these are all traits we have learned. When I see someone new in a Brain Cancer group asking questions, and I can assist that person who went through the same hell I did assuring them that in the end, everything will be OK. That brings true purpose to our lives.
Ask any senior citizen how much their character has changed, gaining positive attributes as they continue to age, knowing their death is closer and closer. If you could bottle that up and give it today’s youth, imagine how different the world would be.
Our brain is consistently bombarded with capitalistic ideas since birth, that material wealth is what brings true happiness. All of us with brain cancer know this is outright false, that life brings happiness. See how much you have already progressed?
Keeping perspective
My Grandma was windowed four times, and she lost two sons. I was always amazed at her resilience, and her trust in God was unwavering. She came from a generation where parents would plan a family with eight plus kids, knowing that some wouldn’t make it, because at the time, there were no antibiotics and vaccines. Can you imagine that today, having children and assuming some would die?
My Grandfather Paul was a pastor (I never met him), when he lost his eye sight he said in his sermon he was depressed. Why me? He was in depression. Later in the sermon he stated the key words in the word depression are to Press On.
All of us can go on about the cross we bore, but in the end what truly matters? Attitude.
Is there not a day that goes by that I do not think about my three sons, but if I fear death, then how can I truly live.
To conclude, if you need help, feel like your suffering is too overbearing, please reach out to others, work with your doctor, consider therapy, do everything in your power work through it –
Your life is so much more than just you, those who love you want you to flourish, that your suffering is their suffering.
Update: I found three (Just got another one right now so four) more cases of brain tumors today in that area based on my article last night. I hope everyone puts so much pressure on the Town that they force Hanover / Hanson to clean the site, Please See Comments at the end of this article. Up to 38 now in 3-mile radius.
Contact our senator, contact the town, this is absolutely ridicules.
Please contact Rep. Bill Keating (https://keating.house.gov/contact), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (https://www.warren.senate.gov/contact), David.DeCoste@mahouse.gov and Sen. Ed Markey (https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact) to get federal funding because the pollution crosses through several towns (Forge Pond, Lilly Pond, Factory pond and waterways/streams/rivers that are connected.)
According to the National Cancer Institute, instances of brain tumor are 6.4 our of a 100,000 which translates to .19 in every 3,000. My findings to this point indicate that the area surrounding the Hanover Fireworks site is at least 34 in every 3,000.
17,795% higher.
I have found close to 40 cases in a 3-mile radius (Roughly 3000 People).
I have a rare type of tumor called Oligodendroglioma (1 out of 300,000). Four years ago I started my research based off of the sheer number of close friends afflicted with this disease. I knew something was very wrong.
The support I have received through social media is nothing short of astonishing – Based on this, the Patriot Ledger,WCVB and WBZ Boston News have all interviewed me.
Once it became public, I was flooded with comments on social media. Friends and family of those I had not yet found came forward. While a few are lucky enough to still be alive, many have passed away. The number of known cases went from 15 to 34. Each new article brought more exposure, and more cases.
There are only two known causes of brain tumors; Vinyl Chloride and Radiation exposure. Both of which were known to be present at the Fireworks site.
Residents in the Hanover / Hanson area deserve to know that the site saw more than 60 years of unadulterated contamination with chemicals I can’t pronounce, and not in small quantities.
The following map was shared with me from someone with access to privileged information.
Below is a list of some of the hazardous chemicals dumped at the site.
Based on recent information, the fireworks site extended far beyond what the public previously knew. A recent publication showed just how big the site really is.
Public Map
Prior to the Forge Pond Park it was a corn field. Behind it were old munition bunkers, a childs dream playground. We played there everyday.
I went back to the trails to show the open wells and bunkers near the forge pond park. This area is not gated off, and to my knowledge, has not been tested for contaminants.
While the Fireworks site is the source of the contamination, its effects reach beyond its geographical area. As many of the reported cases shown at the bottom of this article indicate. The general Hanover / Hanson area feels its effect. Not just those who have never stepped foot in the fireworks site itself.
From 1907 until 1947 the site was used by National Fireworks Inc., which produced pyrotechnics and, during World War II, manufactured and tested explosives for the US government. The property was then purchased by American Potash and Co., which operated there for a few years, (Producing Uranium Disks) then sold the land to the Atlantic Research Corp., a government contractor that produced explosives for the Army and Navy. The federal government also allowed other entities, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to dump hazardous waste there.
The land’s soil was contaminated with enough mercury, lead, and other heavy metals to qualify for Superfund status, a designation given to the country’s most polluted sites, which would put environmental oversight under federal purview. In 2012, local officials asked the state not to pursue Superfund status, because they wanted to avoid the stigma associated with the designation and wished to maintain local control.
To this day, I believe that the remnants of these pollutants continue to reek havoc on the citizens of Hanover and Hanson.
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I don’t enjoy spending my free time on this topic. And I don’t like the exposure. I would much prefer to spend more time with my family.
My loved ones and I want to think about my brain tumor as little as possible. These conversations reignite the traumatic feelings we felt at diagnosis.
However, I feel that God has put this task on me.
I know too many close friends that have passed away, are currently battling or have lost a close one to this unfortunate situation.
In order to prevent more suffering, I feel that we need to do the following:
1. Call it a Superfund Site. Get the Federal Government involved. It was a mistake to resist this status in the past and it is time to rectify that mistake.
2) Clean up the site by completely removing the contamination, not just the munitions.
Victims Messages:
Nick Squires: Diagnosed with an Oliodendroglioma. King St
Name Blocked: My (Nick Squires) Next door neighbor – Passed away from brain tumor – Recently – King St
Name Blocked: I grew up in Hanson, on King street (right on the Hanover line). I’m 37 and just had a golf ball size tumor removed from my head. It was a meningioma.
Name Blocked: Friend of mine (Nick Squires) on king st is blind from their brain tumor – king st
Name Blocked: Hi Nick, I saw your article on Facebook and wanted to reach out to you. My mother grew up in Hanover on Circuit St and she was diagnosed with a stage 2 oligodendroglioma in 2016. She has 2 surgeries to remove it and then had to have radiation and chemo. When I read your article it blew me away, now I wonder if her cancer was due to the contamination.
Name Blocked: Hi Nick, I just wanted to reach out to you as I grew up on Cross Strest in Hanover and I was diagnosed in 2002 with an acoustic neuroma and underwent brain surgery to remove it.
Name Blocked: Hi Nick, I grew up on Stonegate Ln and I know of at least 3 women that have died due to brain cancer. I lived there from 1980 to 1992. I KNOW there are more
Named Blocked: (Friend of mine) – Current has a brain tumor.
Public: Julie Cignarella (Friend of mine) – Died from brain cancer – 31
Public: Rob Simmons (33 years old) – Has a pituitary brain tumor (Briarwood Dr) – Friend of mine
Name Blocked: (Briarwood Dr) – Died of brain tumor – 40
Name Blocked: lived in Briarwood Dr and his father died of brain cancer.
Name Blocked: I was diagnosed with a Meningioma over 10 years ago, followed for 5 years, it did not grow at all, I was told unless I have severe headaches I was ok. I lived on Briarwood Drive.
Name Blocked:I lived on Samoset Dr.I just want to let you know that I was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor late 2016 just after my 40th birthday and had it removed in January 2017. I have acromegaly due to my tumor. I grew up on 179 samoset drive. I graduated from Hanover high in 1994 and lived at that address from 1986-2004. I was a normally healthy person until this issue came about. You can use my name and address and if you need any help please reach out.
Name Blocked: My girlfriend was diagnosed with a tumor on pituitary gland about 7 years ago, shes 32 now and grew up about 2.5miles from the firework site
Name Blocked – Died of a brain tumor – Harvey Cir
Name Blocked: Died of brain tumor – Harvey Cir
Name Blocked: and Nick squires. I grew up on Plain st. Also within a few miles of the factory and my mom just passed of brain cancer 4
Name Blocked: Hi Nick. My son Name Blocked was dx’d with a neuro enteric brain tumor in his frontal lobe in 2015. So rare that only 7 people in the world have it. He had brain surgery at MGH and is doing well. He’s 26 now. We live on Colonial Dr. in Hanover.
Name Blocked: Hi Nick, thank you for sharing your article. So very scary. I lived in Hanover growing up. Spring Street, Jackson Road and then Grove street. I live in Hanson now. I was diagnosed 16 years ago with a menginoma.
Name Blocked: Hi Nick~ I just read your article. I lived in 3 houses in Hanover on circuit street I was born in 1959 I was just diagnosed last week with a brain tumor called meningioma, I am going to see the neurosurgeon today! Not sure if I would be included in this study We moved when I was 8-10 And lived on Adams Circle in Hanson until I was about 16
Name Blocked: Hanson – State st, off broadway . Daughter pituitary tumor removed 2015
Name Blocked: Hi Nick, I have recently had a few people reach out to me to read all your posts and comments. I grew up and lived on Bradford Road in Hanover until I was 25 and was diagnosed with a meningioma in 2009 when I was 36. I have always wondered how and why. You are courageous for all you are doing. Please let me know what I can do to help. Wishing you all the best as you continue to fight for your health. Your family is beautiful!!
Name Blocked: Just Received Comment From Patriot Ledger Article: We lived on Tecumseh Dr for a few years & my dad just died of brain cancer! That’s just around the corner from the site!
Name Blocked: Just Received Comment From Patriot Ledger Article: On 01/01/14 I was diagnosed with Stage one Ganglioglimo – Pleasant street.
Name Blocked: Well this is super scary, We lived in Hanson right near king street for 9 years, Moved away 2 years ago. My son was diagnosed with Pseudo Tumor, Intracranial Hyper tension. Pretty much his brain thinks he has a brain tumor but he doesn’t. He has to have Spinal Taps to release the pressure and extra spinal fluids, has poor vision and terrible headaches. Rare condition to have, and I know a young female who was also diagnosed in Hanson near the Hanover line.
Name Blocked: OMG….I had a brain tumor-meningioma! It was large, 7cm and accidently diagnosed Jan 2018. I had it removed Jan2019 and followed with proton radiation!!! I also live within 2 miles-off Cross St in Hanson! Please reach out to me-I am intrigued and have lived here 13 1/2 years!!!
Name Blocked: We lived on Tecumseh Dr for a few years & my dad just died of brain cancer! That’s just around the corner from the site!
Name Blocked: Just Received Comment From Patriot Ledger Article: Hi Nick! All your research is incredible. I have been following your story! To add to your list, my mom passed away in 1993 from brain cancer and I grew up on Sequoia Lane. You’re family is beautiful and your strength is admirable!
Named Blocked: my mom died of brain cancer lived on king st. She lived on Pleasant Street for many years and unfortunately was diagnosed on dec 23 and passed May 1. Her type was very aggressive. If there is any other info you need please let me know. We appreciate your voice !!!!
Name Blocked: Nick, reading your post on brain cancer. I live in Hanson down the street from the fireworks factory and was diagnosed with ganglio glioma 3 years ago. Appeared out of nowhere after being here for 7 years
Name Blocked: I have a friend from HS named Name Blocked, she passed away in 2017 from a brain tumor. She grew up on Main St., near Plain St. I’m not sure if she is on your list yet.
Name Blocked: My mother died of astrocytoma ( a brain cancer) in 2015. Lived on Broadway in Hanover from 1982 to 1992. Happy to talk
Name Blocked: My sister died of brain cancer. We grew up on East Street Hanover.
Name Blocked: Hi Nick, do you know the Name Blocked? They lived on King Street on Hanson/Hanover line. My mom’s best friend has lived there her whole adult life, and her daughter who’s about my age just got surgery for a brain tumor the Monday after Name Blocked.
Name Blocked: My brother died of glioblastoma in 1997. We lived near St. Mary’s Church!
Name Blocked: Hi Nick, I saw a post from my neighbor about the contamination. I’m very sorry for what you’re going through, & i’m glad you’re in remission! I wanted to let you know I lived in the development on King Phillip Lane by tecumseh & myrtle st. My neighbor across the street had Glioblastoma Multiform. I know you’re specifically trying to find out about brain cancer so i just wanted to let you know if that would help in any way
Name Blocked: I graduated in 1990 with Named Blocked. He lived on old Farm Road. I don’t know how to reach him but I know his dad had same glioblastoma around 2009
Name Blocked: Friend lived 30+ year Hanover St & Grove .. she died of brain cancer in 1985, just putting 2 & 2 together .
Name Blocked: My friend worked at the rubber factory in the same area. He had a brain tumor as well.
Name Blocked: My husband, Name Blocked, grew up between RT 139 and Circuit St. He has brain cancer and his mother died of colon cancer.
Name Blocked: Hi Nick! My name is Name Blocked & I saw your article about brain tumors. I live 5 miles from king street & battled a brain tumor in 2012 that almost took my life. I would love to help in any way I can
Please contact Rep. Bill Keating (https://keating.house.gov/contact), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (https://www.warren.senate.gov/contact), David.DeCoste@mahouse.gov and Sen. Ed Markey (https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact) to get federal funding because the pollution crosses through several towns (Forge Pond, Lilly Pond, Factory pond and waterways/streams/rivers that are connected.)
Every time I do an interview or publish an article I think to myself, well Nick this is it, but after yesterdays meeting I refuse to back down because it was absolute crap. Hanover’s remediation plan is like putting a band-aid on a severed artery.
The town and the federal government had an obligation to clean that site up decades ago, and as a result, people are dying, or died. Without Superfund status, I have no doubt the clean-up will never be completed. We NEED federal funds! This is a appalling, and the town has been covering it up for decades.
All we heard about was mercury, what a joke, what about trichloroethylene, uranium 238, thorium 232, tofuene, chioroform, vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, xylenes, freon, corrosives, and carbon tetrchloride to name a few, which was dumped at the site for 60+ years.
Just the past two weeks I have received several more messages of people suffering from brain tumors, one just today, disgusting. At this point, it is hard to keep up. I know I am well over forty people suffering from this horrid disease. Keep contacting your representatives, be relentless.
William Stella, is a resident of the town and an Environmental Scientist, below is our discussion on the town meeting.
William Stella
Your study is the most accurate analysis of cancer rates in the region than anything the DPH has produced. And she (DPH Lady) or someone should have acknowledged it.
Nick
Based on the plan last night do you think it will remediate the issue?
William Stella
My prediction is that they throw away all the money playing around with spent munitions and such on the upland portions of the site. Then they’ll have to seek new money sources, and that will take years and legal fees, and by then most people will forget about the fact that the pond itself never got cleaned.
William Stella
We listened to their dog and pony show for two hours, and we didn’t hear anything about cleaning up the pond. The DEP guy merely mentioned quickly, that tetra tech would later have to get permits to dredge the pond. The planning then permitting for that itself could take years. And the fact that they mentioned dredging shows their lack of seriousness on this issue. A close friend of mine does dredging for a living. It involves a huge excavator mounted to a barge. Then the operator blindly scoops buckets of soil from the bottom and dumps them on a separate boat or barge. 3 things don’t work with this scenario; 1) all that crap won’t fit on the pond. 2) the Mercury and lead-laden sediment will get stirred up and travel down in the North River watershed and will basically poison every living thing all the way down the river and out into the ocean. And 3) there are barrels containing trichloroethylene and other terrible things lying in the bottom of the pond. If an excavator punctures one or more, horrible things will happen again, to the wildlife all downstream. And finally, there’s no way the North and South Rivers Watershed Assoc. , North River Commission, and all the conservation commissions of Marshfield, Scituate, etc will be okay with this. I don’t even think DEP would be okay with that plan.
William Stella
Absolutely needs to back on the Superfund site list. This is exactly why there is such a fund. Because their cleanup costs are massive and only the federal government has the ability to find a cleanup from beginning to end. Sixty-eight million isn’t going to scratch the surface.
William Stella
Trust me on this. They have NO PLANS to clean-up up the pond. I’m no epidemiologist, so I can’t say what’s likely contributing to cancer rates, but I know old bullets and spent mortar rounds is not.
The site is far bigger than what the Town is portraying. There are old wells and bunkers behind Forge Pond park, at Buckley associates, and Briarwood Dr. to name a few (I took pictures on my Past Blog) None of these sites have been tested for contaminates (I asked at the meeting).
Please contact Rep. Bill Keating (https://keating.house.gov/contact), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (https://www.warren.senate.gov/contact), David.DeCoste@mahouse.gov and Sen. Ed Markey (https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact) to get federal funding because the pollution crosses through several towns (Forge Pond, Lilly Pond, Factory pond and waterways/streams/rivers that are connected.)
I want to express my views regarding the recent post on the Town of Hanover’s facebook page about My recent article.
1.) I commend Hanover for taking this seriously. We must work together to solve this issue.
2.) For the past 30 years, Hanover has been “Minminzing Concern.” It is time to stop talking and take action. There are four 300 page documents written over decades about how polluted the site is, enough research, take that money and put it towards cleanup. The fireworks site has been a dumping ground for nearly a century.
3.) Please contact Rep. Bill Keating (https://keating.house.gov/contact), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (https://www.warren.senate.gov/contact), David.DeCoste@mahouse.gov and Sen. Ed Markey (https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact) to get federal funding because the pollution crosses through several towns (Forge Pond, Lilly Pond, Factory pond and waterways/streams/rivers that are connected.)
4.) I want to quote William Stella, an Environmental scientist because I identify with his views “We should praise the responsible decisions of past and present selectmen? Seriously? How can any person think denying Federal Superfund assistance was a praiseworthy act? The Superfund Act was established precisely for brownfields (polluted sites) like this. As an environmental scientist, I am appalled at their decision. I promise you all, that without that support the pond will never be cleaned up. Never!”
Based on the information I gathered regarding brain tumors – I find it statistically impossible to have so many cases, but that is open to interpretation. I will revert to the Patriot Ledger’s comments on Cancer Cluster studies mentioned in Hanover’s facebook post.
Scales said the review will use data reported to the state’s cancer registry, to which hospitals and facilities are required to report all cancer diagnoses among Massachusetts residents. Each report includes an individual’s residence at the time of diagnosis.
But experts believe most cancers take anywhere from 10 to more than 50 years to develop, meaning those exposed to toxins at the fireworks site could have gotten cancer years after moving away, and therefore may not be accounted for in the data.
Molly Jacobs, project manager at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, said the cancer registry does not track past residencies, which limits its use in identifying cancer clusters.
“It’s a lot more difficult to do investigations for adult cancers because people move, so if the registry doesn’t show a cluster, it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen among those exposed who have since moved away,” said Jacobs, who previously worked at the state Department of Public Health investigating disease clusters tied to exposure to contamination.
Squires, for example, lived on King Street in Hanover until he was 18, but wasn’t diagnosed with brain cancer until he was 31 and living in another town. He likely won’t show up in the data on brain cancer collected by the state.
I hope that over time, this will not be swept under the rug as it has been for decades.
Hanover, Massachusetts
Community Message from the Hanover Town Manager September 3, 2019
Cancer is awful. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are battling this disease as well as their loved ones and caregivers who are fighting with them.
I have been Hanover’s Town Manager for a year and a half and hopefully, I will continue to be Town Manager here for a long time to come. I live in Hanover – no more than a quarter-mile from the Fireworks Site – with my wife and our two young children, ages 4 and 1. We all love Hanover! I’m 100% invested in this community and proud to call it home.
Based on everything I know, residents have no reason to be afraid and have many reasons to praise the responsible decisions made by past and present town officials regarding the Fireworks Site.
In response to some of the comments I have heard and read over the past two weeks I offer the following to be included in the conversation.
Under the management of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the cleanup of the Fireworks Site is moving forward aggressively and in a positive direction. The munitions are currently being cleared; once the munitions are safely disposed of the environmental clean-up will commence. The latter cannot happen until the former is complete.
If you live in Hanover – whether you are an abutter to the Fireworks property or live on the other side of town – you are not being exposed to hazardous materials or toxins from the Fireworks Site.
There are no known radioactive materials buried on site. There is a map circulating – one that is not privileged or confidential in anyway but rather has been public for years – highlighting buried radioactive material. Readings taken within the site do not suggest the presence of these materials. The clean-up workers would not be able to work in an area that wasn’t deemed safe.
Hanover’s drinking water comes from wells that are not hydraulically connected to the Fireworks Site.
Irrigation well testing at a private residence near the Fireworks Site and at Forge Pond Park both came back below DEP’s established safety thresholds.
There are no scientifically valid studies suggesting cancers of any type are higher in Hanover relative to what one would expect in a similar population sample. There was a study completed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) in 2012 showing an elevation in Thyroid cancer between the years 1999 – 2003; however, this finding was deemed ‘not statistically significant’. Earlier this summer, when a former resident met with me and a member of the Board of Selectmen regarding his concerns about brain cancer incidences, DPH was immediately asked to complete a study because when town officials cannot answer questions it is our duty to find someone who can. The DPH study is in the works and the results will be shared publicly. If cancer rates of any type are ever found to be statistically significant, that information alone would not definitively answer the question about causation.
There is a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 24, 2019, starting at 7:00pm at Hanover High School. At this meeting officials from the Mass DEP, DPH, Tetra Tech, and the town will present information germane to the Fireworks clean-up efforts. Please attend this meeting to get factual information from the experts.
How do we deal with such dire prognosis statistics? The short answer is that we don’t.
Why?
If the “average” life expectancy is 5, 10, or 20 years, then that data is based on people treated 5, 10, or 20 years ago.
Research in this area is so fast; life expediencies change dramatically. It is impossible to know how long the person treated yesterday (or last week) will ultimately live. That is why most doctors say not to look at the statistics. Whatever the statistic, it is necessarily outdated.
Let’s look at HIV/AIDS as an example. Not long ago, it was a death sentence. In 1996, powerful combinations of the anti-aids drug became available. Researchers now calculated in 2007 that modern HIV treatment would mean that many people with HIV will be able to live well into their 70s.
Another interesting fact about “Prognosis Statistics” is that all ages included do not rule out other diseases – It includes death by any other means. A few examples are that you are 75, have diabetes, are obese, and have a Low-Grade Glioma. Diabetes kills you – you are part of the “statistic.” You have a low-grade glioma, and you have a heart attack. Again, you are now part of the “prognosis statistic.”
Most people are unaware of radiation’s significant advancements over the past five years. Hell, Temodar wasn’t approved for Brain Tumors until 2007.
I did my surgery using an Intraoperative MRI in the Advanced Multimodality Image Guided Operating (AMIGO) Suite at Brigham and Women’s, built-in 2011. They were able to remove 90%. Before that, I would have been lucky if they got out 75% with a much higher chance of a neurological deficit.
