Families in Corby, Northamptonshire, are seeking answers regarding a potential link between childhood cancer and toxic waste sites in their community. The campaign, driven by parents like Alison Gaffney and Andy Hinde, was sparked by their son Fraser‘s battle with a rare form of leukaemia, diagnosed when he was just 17 months old in 2018. After two years of intensive treatment, including chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, Fraser achieved remission, prompting Gaffney to investigate the possible environmental factors contributing to his illness.
Gaffney recalls a conversation with a hospital consultant who remarked, “It keeps us up at night wondering how Fraser got his cancer.” This comment resonated deeply with her, leading her to consider the long-standing issue of hazardous waste disposal following the closure of the former steelworks in Corby in 1979. This site, once the largest steelworks in Europe, has been linked to health concerns in the area for decades, including a civil case in 2009 that associated the council’s mishandling of waste with a series of birth defects among local children during the 1980s and 1990s.
The group, which now represents approximately 130 families affected by childhood cancer since 1988, is actively calling on local authorities to investigate any connections between these cancers and the decommissioning of the steel plant. Public health officials are expected to release an analysis at the end of this month, focusing on whether Corby has experienced a disproportionate number of childhood cancer cases within its population of 70,000 residents.
Gaffney emphasizes the urgency of their cause, stating, “All we want is to try and protect future people so they do not have to endure the pain that we’ve been through.” Documented findings from the 2009 civil case indicated that between 1983 and 1997, millions of tonnes of contaminated materials were moved from the steelworks to Deene Quarry. It was noted that large amounts of toxic waste were transported on public roads, leading to considerable dust pollution.
Despite these findings, concerns remain that toxic waste may have been deposited in various parts of Corby, not just at Deene Quarry. During a recent meeting, council representatives acknowledged their lack of knowledge regarding the exact locations of potentially contaminated sites. “They said: ‘We don’t know where these sites are. We have no documentation, we have nothing on it,’” Gaffney reported.
In response to growing community concerns, North Northamptonshire Council announced plans to investigate land that may be contaminated and to examine historical records for additional disposal sites. The council’s leader, Martin Griffiths, highlighted their commitment to work collaboratively with families affected by childhood cancer, stating that the meeting with Gaffney and Hinde marked the start of a constructive partnership.
The announcement was welcomed by local residents, including Tonia Shalgosky, whose nine-year-old daughter, Bella, was diagnosed with blood cancer this year. Shalgosky emphasized the importance of transparency from the council, saying, “This can’t be normal.” Another resident, Meg Lyons, whose sister Eve died from a rare bone cancer at the age of nine, expressed the need for complete honesty from the local authority. She reflected on her mother’s memories of the steel plant’s closure, describing the pervasive red ash that blanketed the area.
Families involved in the campaign have shared harrowing stories, including that of Gaffney’s father, who was reportedly involved in the waste removal process. “He wasn’t even licensed to drive a lorry,” Gaffney stated, recalling how her father and others were employed to transport waste. The implications of this history weigh heavily on the community, prompting calls for a thorough investigation.
Legal representation has also evolved, with attorney Des Collins, who previously worked on the 2009 case, now representing Gaffney and other families. Collins stressed the necessity of a statutory public inquiry to uncover the full extent of the environmental issues affecting Corby. “Only a statutory public inquiry has the capability both to reassure the public that the full truth has been uncovered and to set out the lessons to be learned,” he asserted.
As the community awaits further developments, Gaffney remains hopeful that testing on potentially contaminated land will commence soon. “Every family that comes through, I’m listening to their stories, and it’s so hard. If anything, it just gives us that further fight,” she said. The families of Corby continue to advocate for answers, determined to protect future generations from the health crises they have endured.
