One of the many victims of September 11 cancer, having run out of sick leave, has now been forced to retire.

Jennifer Dougherty, an FDNY emergency medical technician who was one of the first responders at Ground Zero after the terrible events that September day in New York, has run out of sick time. She is currently battling ovarian cancer—a battle which she alleges was started by exposure to dangerous material at Ground Zero.

Jennifer has been working with EMS for 25 years. She told EMS1.com, “I feel like I was coerced into retiring just so I could keep my health benefits.”

State legislature was in the works to give EMS providers suffering from September 11 cancer the same benefits currently being given to firefighters and police officers, who are considered American heroes for their efforts after the attacks. A recent memo from Mayor Bill de Blasio has halted this legislation, preventing EMS providers like Jennifer from receiving these same benefits.

“I think it’s a poor situation,” Jennifer told EMS1. “If firefighters and police officers are entitled to unlimited sick leave, why are we so different?”

September 11 Cancer Basics

The danger presented by the September 11 terrorist attacks wasn’t just confined to the initial attacks, but instead lasted for a long time in the form of dangerous substances in the air that those in the area inhaled.

Dangerous toxins and carcinogens like asbestos, fiberglass, benzene and mercury saturated the area. At the time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the air was safe to breathe. In the following months and years, it became clear that this was not the case and that exposure at 9/11 and cancer diagnoses are closely linked.

The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund

A fund was created to help assist victims and families of these terrorist attacks, and as the effects of September 11 cancer become increasingly clear, this fund should also apply to those who are now discovering their injuries.

However, there are a few problems. Proof of September 11 cancer is difficult to determine. More than 16 years later now, evidence of September 11 cancer has now grown, but the amount of compensation available in funds for those injured has dwindled, and the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund is currently only set to stay in operation until 2020.

Those who suffer from September 11 cancer, and may therefore be eligible for compensation from this fund, include firefighters, police, EMTs, construction and sanitation workers, volunteers, nearby employees and residents, and more. See our investigation page for more specifics on who may be eligible for compensation.

Filing a Claim for September 11 Cancer

If you are a victim of September 11 cancer caused by exposure at Ground Zero, you may be eligible for compensation from the Victims Compensation Fund. You don’t have to be a first responder–the fund can provide compensation for any person—students, tourists, residents, and others—who may have been exposed at or near Ground Zero and was subsequently affected by September 11 cancer.

If you or someone you love have been diagnosed with cancer and were present in the area around Ground Zero sometime between September 11, 2001 and May 31, 2002, you may be eligible for compensation from the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund.