Luma

What would cause 15 teachers in a school to be diagnosed with cancer? As far as I know most of them are breast cancer. Could this just be just by chance and bad luck?

I was wondering how many cases until it gets investigated as a cancer cluster?

Vash the Stampede

Which school is this? What details are available? Presumably the media is scrambling all over it by now; got some links to reports?

Luma

It's a private school in the northern suburbs of Perth. No links no reports - just heard it from a teacher who has a friend in the school.

Sally Simpson

What constitutes a cluster: - http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/edit...sp?pageid=2305

You may also find this of interest: - http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s2056788.htm

Call me AL

As somebody may have already mentioned, the media would be all over this if it were true. I live in Perth and haven't heard anything. I think someone's having you on.

Luma

unfortunately they are not having me on as this teacher who told me has had breast cancer herself.

Call me AL

And she told you 14 other people at the same school have it?

Dorothy

I heard from a friend of my sister's husband's uncle's second wife's brother's daughter that it was true, so it must be.

Sally Simpson

In the story that I gave a link to, over 15 years, 16 women were diagnosed with breast cancer & a further 22 with changes in breast tissue. This was an unprecedented number in Aussie history.

Over what period of time have the 15 teachers been diagnosed? I find it hard to believe that there is not a major enquiry going on if your story is factual.

Luma

I don't know the time frame. So many people are getting cancer now and it just got me wondering if teachers in a higher risk group for breast cancer.

Broad Shoulders

Seriously Luma! You would have heard about this if it were true. The teachers unions would be all over it as would the media. There is no way they could keep that sort of thing quiet.
Think about it for a second, the ABC Radio centre in Toowong has had a dozen cases over the last 10 years and that made international news with Cancer researchers from all over the world flock to Brisbane to look into it. Don't you think that the same would have happened if 14 teachers at one single school had got cancer?
You should be a reporter on TodayTonight if you believe the word of a woman who knows a woman who cleaned floors for a woman who got cancer while teaching in Perth

Sally Simpson

I can't imagine why teachers would be in a higher risk group.

Are the male teachers having cancer diagnoses?
If so, that would suggest something environmental.
In many cluster cases, they are unable to find any definite cause for the cluster.

Luma

Just found this about schools in brisbane
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...22/2370576.htm

I know UK they've linked cancer to cell phone masts being nearby.
I wonder how toxic white board markers are and the spray they use to wipe it off with. Chalk dust?

quoll

Wouldnt be surprised. There certainly seems to have been a disproportionate number of (usually) women with cancer in senior positions in schools here. Now whether it is stress, their age, their working environment who knows but any number of our female principals have gone down with some form of cancer in the last few years - usually breast cancer. In one school though, I think you would have to be checking environmental causes.

Broad Shoulders

Luma, I think it would be best the mods merge this thread into one of your previous pixies and fairies make-believe threads like this one http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ght=conspiracy