Dream escaped
Dream Escaped
Kathy Henry
When my husband and I bought our 3-acre Tittabawassee Riverfront property in 1984, we were thrilled. Waterfront property is scarce in Saginaw County, and we felt that we were one of the lucky ones. We could never have been so wrong.
We did not learn for almost 2 decades after buying the house about Dows dioxin contamination there. Facts have now come to light that Dow was well aware of the contamination back then, and backroom politics between Dow, the state of Michigan, and the governmental agencies who were supposed to protect the citizens of Michigan prevented a warning to residents at that
time of a serious public health threat there. This lack of protection or warning resulted in 24 years of high dioxin exposure to me and my family, simply from living in our home.
During our time living on the river, we started to notice that my cats would bring mice home from the floodplain with tumors in their livers. This became a big concern to us, that something might be wrong here, but we had no idea what it was. When I called the local branch of the state environmental quality office and told them about it, the issue was quickly dismissed. But I still felt that something was wrong. Several years later, both cats died of strange cancers not normally found in cats.
When information broke to the public in 2002 stating there was a dioxin contamination problem on the floodplain, the answer became painfully clear.
Almost overnight our home and yard and life had turned into a nightmare. The more I learned about dioxin and it’s potential to cause cancer and other major health issues, the more angry and scared I became. The Michigan Department of Community Health at that point told the floodplain residents to wear a face mask when they mowed their lawns and gardened, and not to let children play in the yard.
Over time I heard stories from many floodplain residents, stories of cancer, multiple cancers, diabetes, auto immune disease, infertility and birth defects. I knew we had to get out.
Eventually we were able to leave, although at a financial loss. But many other residents have not been as fortunate, if you can call it that. A lawsuit filed by property owners in 2003 against Dow has yet to result in any resolution for the residents either.
For my husband and I, the possibility of losing our health from living on the Tittabawassee will always be there, even after leaving. It will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
After these past 8 years of struggle with the agencies and Dow, I still fear enough will not be done to hold Dow accountable and protect the residents from continued harm. What they have all done to the floodplain residents is cruel. Their past actions are unforgivable, and yet it
continues to this day.
Kathy Henry is a retired Histology Technician registered with the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, HT(ASCP). She has been a long time member of the Tittabawassee River Watch.
