An update from Ladera Health Watch
Dear Petition Supporters,
Thank you for standing with the families and residents of Ladera Ranch. Nearly 5,000 people have now signed the petition, and that support has helped bring meaningful attention and resources to our community.
As this issue receives more public attention, there is also a great deal of information circulating from different sources. We want to make sure that anyone who would like reliable, regular updates can receive information directly from the resident group that has been leading this work.
Our official updates will be available through:
Website: OCHealthWatch.org
You can sign up there to receive weekly email updates.
Instagram: @LaderaHealthWatch
We will use Instagram to share significant developments as they happen.
Facebook: Ladera Health Watch
These will be our official channels for updates about our investigation and advocacy.
Where things currently stand
The California Cancer Registry has not yet completed its analysis of the reported cancer cases. As soon as we receive results that can be shared, we will make them available to the community and explain what they do, and do not, tell us.
In the meantime, we are continuing to:
Track the reviews and investigations being conducted by government agencies.
Work with university researchers, physicians, public-health experts, and childhood-cancer advocates.
Gather and review records concerning pesticide use, water, historical land use, nearby industrial and environmental sites, and other possible exposure sources.
Connect with other communities around the country facing similar concerns.
Participate in the LARMAC advisory process to develop a new organic land-management plan for Ladera Ranch.
We remain firmly in the fact-finding stage. We have not concluded that pesticides, water, or any other single environmental factor caused the cancers reported in our community. Our responsibility is to examine every credible avenue, organize the available evidence carefully, and place it in the hands of qualified experts and agencies.
A note about contributions made through Change.org
Some supporters chose to contribute through Change.org after signing the petition. We are very grateful for that support. Those contributions were used by Change.org to increase the petition’s visibility and help it reach more people, which contributed to the tremendous response we received.
However, those funds did not go to Ladera Health Watch or to childhood-cancer research. Once we realized that Change.org was automatically presenting supporters with that contribution option, we disabled it to avoid any confusion.
The USC research campaign below is separate. Donations made through this link will directly support research into childhood cancer and potential environmental factors, with a focus on Ladera Ranch.
Help fund research into why childhood cancer occurs
For many families, the most painful question remains unanswered: Why did this happen?
The causes of most childhood cancers are still unknown, and identifying possible environmental factors has been especially difficult. More research is urgently needed to understand how and why these cancers develop and whether any future cases might be prevented.
We have partnered with researchers at the University of Southern California on a dedicated fundraising campaign, Childhood Cancer and the Environment: Focus on Ladera Ranch. The campaign will support research seeking clues that may lead to the identification of preventable causes.
Please donate to the USC research campaign here: [https://givebutter.com/fund-research-for-the-future-of-learning-snig35?s=sAMZWA
Please visit OCHealthWatch.org to sign up for weekly updates and follow @LaderaHealthWatch on Instagram for news directly from the source.
Thank you again for your support and for helping ensure these concerns receive the serious, responsible attention they deserve.
Warmly,
Jackie French
Ladera Health Watch and OC Health Watch