A new section of the 9/11 Memorial will commemorate individuals who have died from 9/11 first responders cancer.

The National 9/11 Memorial includes several features to honor those who died as a result of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Two twin “reflecting pools” within the former footprints of the Twin Towers feature the largest manmade waterfalls found in North America.

On the edge of each of the pools, bronze panels feature the names of every person who died as a result of the attacks. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum describes the design as “a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.”

More recently, a grassy clearing of the memorial plaza was dedicated to rescue personnel and recovery workers who got sick or died following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The 9/11 first responders cancer memorial features six large, sloping stones of granite that are inlaid with steel from the fallen World Trade Center. Affected workers as well as the family members of deceased affected individuals attended a dedication ceremony along with city officials.

“Today we are dedicating this memorial glade to all who became sick or died because of causes related to the attacks and to all the men and women who took part in the rescue and recovery effort that ended on this date 17 years ago,” said former Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the ceremony, according to USA Today. Bloomberg serves as the chairman of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

“We have a duty to care for those who need it and to honor the memory of those who died. The memorial glade helps us to fulfill that duty,” Bloomberg said.

Lingering Effects of 9/11

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, debris from the World Trade Center released countless toxins in the form of dust. Toxic smoke and chemicals released by the buildings includes asbestos, lead, mercury, crystalline silica, cadmium, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and carbon nanotubes. These chemicals are associated with serious conditions such as cancer as well as other degenerative conditions affecting the kidneys, heart, liver, and nervous system.

Countless first responders and other individuals who were exposed to the toxic dust have developed 9/11 related illnesses as a result of the chemicals. As of December 2017, the World Trade Center Health Program routinely certifies numerous conditions including rhinosinusitis, asthma, sleep apnea, post-traumatic stress disorder, respiratory disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer.

Individuals who are affected by 9/11 illnesses may die due to the cancer and other conditions they are faced with in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Although the attacks occurred almost 20 years ago, individuals are reportedly being diagnosed with 9/11 related illnesses every day.

Federal aid is available for these individuals, but this may not be a perfect solution. The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is starting to run out of money, meaning that claimants are getting only a fraction of what other claimants recovered in the past. Unless Congress decides to reauthorize the fund and provide more compensation for victims, the fund will close in 2020.