This week I was very fortunate to meet with Jared Blumenfeld, Secretary for the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal EPA), as well as the Acting Director of the DTSC, Meredith Williams. I was able to give Secretary Blumenfeld, who has the power to reform the DTSC, our 584,000-signature petition asking for the complete cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Lab.

When I had the chance to speak, I held up Grace’s Beads of Courage and I explained how every bead was earned by a treatment she had received for cancer over the last five years. Black beads represented every time she was poked with a needle. Yellow represented how many overnight stays she had in the hospital. White represent chemotherapy, and so on. She has earned hundreds of beads that helped Secretary Blumenfeld  understand how devastating and excruciating it is for a child to experience cancer.

Mr. Blumenfeld’s immediate reaction was, “I have a daughter too.” Later, he gave me a hug. He pledged to bring transparency, accountability, community involvement, and integrity into both CalEPA and the DTSC.

You know me, I can be cautiously optimistic, but I really believe that Secretary Blumenfeld will follow through with his promises. And I believe if we keep moving forward and continue to inform people about the dangers of the Santa Susana Field Lab, we really might get the 100% cleanup that will heal our community. Even if all our efforts protect only one child from cancer...it would be worth it. I’m so proud of Grace’s beads, but I never want a child to have to memorialize the pain she endured because of a cancer that may have been preventable.

I promise to keep you posted as things continue to progress!

Melissa Bumstead