Published in the Asbury Park Press
By JEAN MIKLE and JOSEPH SAPIA
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- Yesterday's formal releasing of the five-year study of high childhood cancer rates in the area brought hope to some grieving families, but disappointment to others.
The Benson family fell into the latter category. They lost a child -- Justin Benson, who died when he was 8 in April 2000. His death was caused by brain cancer, said his mother, Tara Benson Askew, 31.
"Their findings kind of confuse me," said Kevin Askew, 30, Tara's husband. "We didn't get the answers we were hoping to get when we came here today."
Justin Benson was not included in the study because his cancer was not diagnosed until 1999. Still, the Bensons sought answers when the study results were released last night.
"This isn't any answer," Tara Askew said. "They just didn't find any (definite or specific) relationship (to the cancer cause)."
"I think they really don't know," said Carol Benson, 60, Justin's grandmother, who wore a button with his photograph on her chest. "I think it's something environmental. It could be air, water, you just don't know."
The Askews and their son, Shane, 2 1/2, moved from Toms River to Berkeley last year, with the cancer scare playing little or no role in prompting the move. But the Askews definitely take health precautions -- having the water tested in their new home, drinking bottled water, and putting a carbon filter on their house's water system.
Kim Pascarella's daughter, Gabrielle, was 14 months old when she died of neurological cancer in 1990. He was surprised no associations were made between central nervous system cancers and contaminated water or air.
"I really thought it was pointing to that and everything in the preliminary study seemed to point to that also," Pascarella said.
Others expressed optimism about the study.
"My reaction is basically positive," said Joseph Kotran, whose daughter, Lauren, 5, is in remission after battling nervous system cancer. "I wish they would have found connections to more types of cancers, but that doesn't mean that other children weren't affected by it. It just means they weren't able to show it.
"It's at least an educational tool for the future. This is not the end, but it's a beginning."
"This could be a building block," said Bruce Anderson, whose son, Michael, 20, was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 10.
Michael's cancer is in remission.
"We can build on this study and maybe find more links to the contaminants here," Anderson said.
Anderson was not surprised by the results.
"I've expected the results for months," he said. "I don't think you're ever satisfied. Our knowledge base isn't that high yet. Twenty years from now, we may know all about what causes these types of cancers. We don't now."
Pascarella said a major lesson to be learned from what happened here is, "We should not be so arrogant to think that we know the answer to every question. We should always err on the side of caution."
Jennifer Robertazzi is a lifelong resident. Chrissy Hartel moved here from Germany six years ago.
The two, both 17 and seniors at Toms River High School East, grew up with the cancer cluster.
"It's like the 'Erin Brockovich' movie all over again," said Robertazzi, referring to the real-life Brockovich, who discovered a cover-up of contaminated water causing illness and took on the polluters.
Robertazzi and Hartel watched the meeting, where the report was released, on their school's closed-circuit television system. The meeting was held at the school.
Neither of the two had a direct connection to the cluster through friends or family, although Robertazzi has two adult cousins who grew up locally and are recovering from cancer.
Robertazzi said her family "always thought it was chemicals" in the drinking water that caused the cancer in her family.
"I don't know if I expected an-swers because studies like that are always open-ended," Rober-tazzi said. "Anything can cause cancer. There's a lot of factors."
"It occurs to me once in awhile," said Hartel, referring to the can-cer cluster. Now with the study results being released, Hartel said, it probably will be the talk of the area again.
Published on December 19, 2001
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