Community members of Barwon Heads have exposed a “cancer cluster,” which they believe is linked to a mosquito spraying program that occurred during the 80s and 90s.
The town resides in Victoria’s ideal seaside location, no more than an hour and a half away from Melbourne, with many families opting for the lifestyle, the surf and a holistic community environment.
During the 80s and 90s families chose to raise their children by the coast but Ross Harrison said “there was something going on that [the] community weren't fully aware of, which was the disaster of health”.
Mr Harrison, alongside Justin McEncroe, formed a group called Discovery 3227 to investigate rising pockets of rare cancers and chronic illnesses among children and young adults.
They found more than 50 children who grew up around the local park - referred to as the ‘muddies’ - the back of the Barwon Heads Primary School, the wetlands and streets surrounding, fell ill with rare blood cancers or chronic illnesses.
Ross Harrison formed a group called Discovery 3227 to investigate rising pockets of rare cancers. Source: The Feed
Adults were also impacted, but at lower rates than children and young adults.
Campbell Stephenson lost his sister Georgie to myeloid leukemia when she was just 26 years old after developing cancer at 23.
“That [type of cancer] accounts for 0.8 per cent of all cancer diagnosis in Australia, of that they're generally over the age of 60 and they're males,” Mr Stephenson told The Feed.
Mr Stephenson grew up a few streets away from the muddies, and said he and his sister would regularly ride their bikes to the Barwon Heads Primary School, using the muddies as their main route.
“It would be incredibly hard to dismiss that an environmental issue hasn’t played a part in this.”
Campbell and his sister Georgie grew up a few streets away from the muddies. Source: The Feed
For Mr Stephenson, his sister isn’t the only person he knows who lost their lives to cancer.
“There are eight people that I've grown up with that have either battled or lost their lives,” he said.
“When you've been to multiple funerals of people you've grown up with when they haven't even made it to 30, it's something that can't be ignored and it's really hard to turn your head the other way.”
Cheyenne Dandy is a 30-year-old woman living with Crohn's disease. She developed the chronic illness at 20 years old and within the past few years, she has begun living with an ostomy after having her large bowel removed.
Ms Dandy, like Mr Stephenson and Georgie, grew up near the muddies.
“In the last couple of years, I am up to about 35 surgeries,” she said.
“I've had to completely give up work because of Crohn's, I ended up spending so much time in hospital. I'm on a disability pension and living with my mum again.
“I honestly believe that the mosquito spraying is what's making everyone sick.”
Cheyenne Dandy lives with Crohn's disease. Source: The Feed
For years, the City of Greater Geelong used organophosphate insecticides around the muddies, the back of the Barwon Heads Primary School and the wetlands as part of its mosquito control program.
It works by attacking an insect's nervous system - something Dr Muhammad Aziz Rahman said also happens when humans are exposed to the chemicals at high rates.
“Organophosphates are the chemical compounds which are used in the agriculture industry to control pests and are primarily used as a spray,” he told The Feed.
“They block a specific enzyme that is within the insect and this specific enzyme, what happens, it blocks the nervous conduction so the insect dies.
“The same effect may happen in the human body when it is inhaled.”
Mr Harrison believes the ‘mosaic of ill health’ stemmed from the council’s mosquito spray program.
“85 per cent of the cancers and immune disease directly correlate to the council's spray areas or fumigation areas,” Mr Harrison told The Feed.
“The reality is that the chemicals weren't illegal... what we argue is that the process of using those chemicals was used illegally off-label.”
Samantha Wigmore is a Barwon Heads local. She also believes the loss of her daughter was because of her exposure to organophosphate insecticides.
Samantha's daughter died at six months of age in the late 90s. Source: The Feed
Ms Wigmore’s daughter Stevie died just six months old from acute lymphatic leukemia in 1999.
“[She died] from the mosquito spraying that was happening at the time, I don't see how there can be any other explanation for it,” Ms Wigmore told The Feed.
“I remember walking through the parks with Stevie when I was pregnant… you could see the mist and of course if you can see it, you are breathing it in, that can’t be good for an unborn child.”
Ms Wigmore battles with her own illness now, a rare type of neurological disorder that causes constant pain in her neck. Ms Wigmore believes that too is a result of the mosquito spraying.
Dr Rahman said heavy exposure can cause someone to fall ill.
Dr Muhammad Aziz Rahman Source: The Feed
He said if people are exposed to the chemical, “the risk of cancer is increased, people can have other chronic illnesses if exposed for a long period of time, and it can also impact on fertility”.
“[The] World Health Organisation have warned us due to this emerging evidence of chronic health effects of organophosphates compound use, all countries should take precautions,” he said.
The chemical remains legal to use in Australia, but Dr Rahman warned that people carrying out the spraying should wear personal protective equipment. He also said the community should be contacted before the fumigation takes place, so they can stay inside with the doors and windows shut.
Mr Harrison and Ms Wigmmore both said they were never warned of when the spraying would happen but could see and smell the mist.
A parliamentary inquiry is now underway to determine what exactly caused the cancers and other illnesses.
In a statement to The Feed, the regulator - The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority - said organophosphate insecticides are safe when used according to label instructions.
In a statement to The Feed, the City of Greater Geelong said they were not aware of any evidence that its chemicals were used incorrectly.
The locals now want an apology from the City of Greater Geelong.
“Their behaviour has been reprehensible. And I think they have not at any stage apologised for spraying or fumigating kids,” said Mr Harrison.
“It would make us all feel better, especially if there was an apology that, especially for the families that have lost loved ones, it would just be a bit of closure,” said Ms Dandy.
Dr Rahmad said that if other council areas don’t protect their community, similar outbreaks of ill health can happen.
“It is possible we will get more cases in regional settings like Barwon Heads if the people are exposed to organophosphate compounds, it is not unlikely that those are linked with these chronic effects.”
