South Jefferson community seeks answers about rare pediatric cancer cases
A South Jefferson community is raising concerns about several reported Ewing sarcoma cases and asking health officials to investigate.
Residents in the South Jefferson Central School District are seeking answers after several children and young adults in the community were diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer that affects bones. The reported cases include students Hunter Stoffel, Ashton Marcum and Tucker, along with other cases in recent years. Naomi Gushlaw, 8, died in 2015, and Jordan Hancock, 29, recently died after a recurrence, the report said.
The New York State Department of Health said it is working with Jefferson County to monitor the concerns. Community members, including Lisa Wilson and county district representative Chris Boulio, are calling for more information about whether environmental factors could be involved. Medical experts cited in the report said Ewing sarcoma has no known cause and is not known to be passed through families. The American Cancer Society estimates about 250 children in the United States are diagnosed with the disease each year.
This story was written from a community submission and reviewed by a ClickNNY editor before publication.