Multiple Myeloma From Ft. Ord Contamination

The following is a personal story submitted to Civilian Exposure and published as part of our new series: “Contamination Chronicles: Personal Stories of Exposure”. If you would like to submit your story, you may fill out our form here or send directly via email to share-@-civilianexposure.org.

In 2014 I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. It all started with severe back pain and fatigue. I saw my primary physician for a physical and full bloodwork, and the urine and blood showed I had Multiple Myeloma. I then saw an oncologist, and he started me on treatments.

I did 24 months of oral chemotherapy and bone infusions. After I completed that, I had an auto stem cell transplant in 2016. Now, I live with constant bone and joint pain. I talked to my transplant team from Loyola Medical Center in Chicago for possible causes, and they said from environmental exposures.

I was then puzzled because I live such a clean life, no smoking, drinking, or working around any harmful chemicals.

One day, I was on social media and someone was talking about Fort Ord receiving a Superfund status for cleanup from the government, so I checked into it. I found out that the water was contaminated, and so was the soil. I never knew this for years, so I asked my oncologist if it was possible that the TCE, PCE, and Benzene could have caused the Multiple Myeloma.

He said it was more likely than not that it did.

I filed a claim with VA just to get a denial, so now I have filed it to a higher court. I was glad to see other stories from Ord. Thanks for sharing mine.

• Author resides in Niles, Michigan

Note from the Editor: The account/editorial is verbatim from the author without edit, with only the omission of their name to preserve anonymity.

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