NOTE: The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition is appreciative for your support. We are not requesting monetary donations, only the support of your signature.


Dear Massachusetts State Senators and Representatives, As Massachusetts citizens, we are extremely disappointed in the absence in leadership to address water quality and public health in our state. The State House of Representatives and State Senate have both rejected budget amendments to fund research proposed by Silent Spring Institute that may change the way citizens are exposed to some toxic chemicals in water. For over two decades, Massachusetts has had some of the highest breast cancer rates in the country, and currently, Cape Cod incidence is approximately 22% higher than the national average. The refusal to fund breast cancer research in regions with higher-than-average breast cancer rates is unacceptable: it is a matter of environmental justice, and we cannot back down. More research is needed to investigate emerging contaminants in Massachusetts water. Silent Spring Institute has a history of research of this kind and has already shown that endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), pharmaceuticals, industrial pollutants, and consumer product chemicals are present in drinking water, groundwater, and ponds on Cape Cod. This is worrisome because these compounds have been linked with breast cancer and other diseases.
Our health and the health of our families are extremely important and should be made a priority. We deserve to know that our water is safe, clean, and non-toxic. We urge you to support the work of Silent Spring Institute. They are the only research organization with the mission to investigate the link between the environment and women’s health, and one of the only organizations studying emerging contaminants in the state. Massachusetts is a leader in technology innovation and public health; it is ultimately up to our legislators to continue that legacy.

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