WTC Health Program

July is Sarcoma Awareness Month. The half a million first responders and people working, living, and studying in Lower Manhattan on or after 9/11 have a dramatically higher risk of developing respiratory illnesses and 69 different types of cancer, including sarcoma. Barasch & McGarry represents more than 125 members of the 9/11 community who have been […]

Today, we honor the extraordinary legacy of NYPD Detective Luis G. Alvarez, a 9/11 hero whose testimony persuaded Congress to establish permanent compensation benefits for 9/11 victims and their families, on the sixth anniversary of his passing. Detective Alvarez, who appeared before Congress with comedian and 9/11 advocate Jon Stewart, died only 18 days later, of colorectal cancer he […]

June is National Cancer Survivors Month. There are more than 17 million cancer survivors in the United States today, including thousands of 9/11 community members. If you are diagnosed with any 9/11-related cancer or respiratory illness, Barasch & McGarry can help you access resources through the free World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF).  […]

Today, June 11, we remember the sixth anniversary of NYPD Detective Luis Alvarez testifying in Congress, where he successfully advocated for permanent free health care and compensation benefits for 9/11 victims and their families. A 9/11 hero, Detective Alvarez appeared before Congress weakened by the colorectal cancer he developed from his exposure to Ground Zero toxins at […]

Today, May 28, 2025, is the eighth anniversary of FDNY Firefighter Raymond J. Pfeifer’s passing. He was 59 years old. A 9/11 hero and Barasch & McGarry client, Pfeifer worked tirelessly to persuade Congress to establish permanent health and compensation benefits for 9/11 community members with cancer or respiratory illness and their families. After the terrorist attacks on September […]

e PH level of the WTC dust was the same as Drano. It contained more than 2,500 contaminants, including lead, mercury, glass, asbestos, dioxins, and silica. We breathed it, we ate it, and it covered our skin. As the number of exposed people diagnosed with cancer continues to rise, we note that non-melanoma skin cancer […]