Children of Agent Orange Exposed Male Veterans develop cancer at rates higher than average?

by Sharon L. Perry, Founder
Agent Orange Legacy - Children of Vietnam Veterans

Recently, I received an email. I was asked if children of Agent Orange exposed male veterans develop cancer at rates higher than average?


After thinking on this question, for a week. This is what I have found to date:

I can tell you based upon the information we have been gathering that 57% of our members who are the children of Vietnam veterans exposed to agent orange report health problems which include:

• birth defects
• rare disease
  
• auto-immune disease
  
• cancers
  
• mental health issues
  
• learning disabilities.

What I would say based upon our preliminary information is that they are at risk for birth defects at a rate higher than average, at risk for rare disease which is very hard to diagnose because so few people have the disease, at risk for developing auto-immune disease which can lead to organ failure and premature death if left untreated, at risk for being born with or developing mental health disorders/issues, same goes for learning disabilities and disorders such as autisim. Cancer is no different, in my opinion.

Unfortunately I can not do much with this information because much work remains to be done to verify it & expand upon what I have just relayed to you. I am working on creating a database now with better questions so that I can gather more information. After that is in place I will begin to contact each members to verify their father's service, as well as their medical records etc.


In order to speed this process along please, if you are a member of our support community, get started now. Here are some of the things you will need to gather in order to help us with our work:

• You will need your father's DD214, Discharge Papers and Veterans Separation Documents.
• You will need copies of your medical records that support any medical diagnosis you have received.
• If you have not received a diagnosis then a notarized written statement of your own verifying you have these symptoms will do or a signed statement from your doctor. Please mail your statements to Agent Orange Legacy - P.O. Box 84 - Cherryfield, ME 04622
  
• Please begin recording your story about how agent orange has affected your life and especially your health. For more information about recording your story contact Sharon Perry aolegacy@gmail.com

Join our support community today.