Seventeen years after the terrorist attack, a growing number of New York City residents are being diagnosed with 9/11 cancer and other illnesses associated with the toxins released by 9/11.

On the day of the attacks themselves, nearly 3,000 people were killed. But the loss of life didn’t stop on that day—since then, more than 2,000 have died from 9/11-associated illnesses. Many more may be at risk. In fact, estimates indicate that about 400,000 people in New York City that day were exposed to dangerous toxins at Ground Zero. Those exposed include first responders, residents, schoolchildren, tourists, and more.

Amit Friedlander, a then-student at Stuyvesant High School (located just blocks away from Ground Zero) was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at age 22.

“In hindsight, I think my cancer is probably 9/11-related and now that I know that, if I could go back in time, maybe I wouldn’t have gone back to school,” Friedlander told CBS News.

Many alum of Stuyvesant High School are still worried about developing cancers from their exposure in the coming years. Many cancers can be caused by longer acting toxins, like asbestos. Asbestos cancer can take decades to surface.

One Stuyvesant alum, who is now a 9/11 healthcare advocate, said that she knows of 20 cases of 9/11-related cancers among her old classmates.

Ground Zero toxins include asbestos, microscopic glass shards, and the pulverized materials of the buildings that came down.

Of the 400,000 people believed to have been exposed to Ground Zero toxins, fewer than 100,000 have enrolled in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) World Health program. The program provides screenings for these illnesses, as well as treatment.

Tens of thousands of people, first responders and survivors alike, have been diagnosed with 9/11-related illnesses, according to the CDC.

There are about 70 types of cancer included on the list of 9/11-related illnesses that may qualify victims for compensation from the September 11^th Victims Compensation Fund. This fund is separate from the World Trade Center Health Program, which does not provide funding.

Recently, the Victims Compensation Fund was set to expire, but it has been extended to October 1, 2090, and is intended to pay all approved claims. About $10.2 billion has been authorized for payment of these claims over the next 10 years.

Do You Qualify for Compensation?

Were you or someone you love diagnosed with a 9/11 cancer after exposure to toxins at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks, prior to May 31, 2002? You may be able to pursue compensation through the September 11^th Victim Compensation Fund.

Of course, compensation from the fund cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by 9/11 cancer, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by lost earnings, medical expenses, wrongful death, and more.