Current Updates
The families had received monthly updates about the investigation since that March 2015 meeting, all of them saying that there was no new information and that the investigation was still ongoing.
Melany informed the investigation team’s point of contact about the new diagnosis, and it was his lack of response that threw Amanda over the edge. “He didn’t even really acknowledge that another child had just been diagnosed with cancer,” she said. That’s when she decided to make the YouTube video, which has been viewed more than 49,000 times.
The Concerned Military Families United By Pediatric Cancer is a Facebook page that was created by Melany in an effort to fill the gap of information and find ways of reaching out to current and past residents. “It’s a complete shame that we, the families suffering, are the ones who have done all the outreach and awareness,” Melany stated.
In the time since the video has been posted, this story has been featured on FOX, CBS, Yahoo, Military Times, USMCLife, The New York Daily, state and local news outlets and countless blogs across the country. There have been reports that British military officials have requested soil samples from the investigation as well, since they have military families living aboard installation housing in Beaufort.
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort leadership has responded to the media attention by holding two Townhall events and has since created a resource website. It was this public relations effort that led the Navy to put out guidance to military healthcare providers worldwide, making them aware of any current or former Laurel Bay residents seeking care.
Providers have been advised that physical exams for patients concerned about possible exposure to contaminated soil should focus their attention on the thyroid, lymph nodes, heart, lung and abdomen in order to establish a baseline of health.
