October 20, 2003

Nevada Test Site Fallout Effects
On all of those whom thought it was safe.

My letter is for all Congress Elected Offices, our Arizona elected officials, and I ask our Mohave County elected, The City of Kingman council members and Elected Mayor. To: The panel of the National Academy of Scientist to make the right decision for Downwinders.

To Whom It May Concern:
I am a Mohave Downwinder family. I has seen the lost, and felt the horrible real world of radiation fallout on our county. I was a child of that was born in Mohave County. My grandparents, father, mother, aunts, uncles, and siblings were and are part of the county.

My name is Darla Jo (Shaeffer) Wright. I was born and raised in Mohave County. I also attended the local schools, play on the grounds, ate and drank the milk and water. I was able to be raised with a dad that fish, and hunted wild games, (whom was affected by the radiation from drinking and grazing). We had ranchers in the family that raised cattle; yes this was part of our diet also.

The Nevada Test Site did contaminate four (4) generation of my family. Please let me tell you of all the horrible unbelievable untold events we all had to face!

In 1981: I, Darla Jo at the age of 23 years, had my uterus removed (cancer-tumor) this was divesting for me. I had times of much pain, and many female problems before I knew what was wrong with me. I was a young woman! Who would think in the time's of my life that I would have this illness. Yes I was scared; I had lost my dad to cancer! Thinking what will be for my future be, and what is going to happen to my children (they were so young) if the unknown happens! After surgery I had the normal treatment. TODAY I AM A SURVIOR! Praise the Lord.

My father, Darrell Leon Shaeffer, was not a survivor. He had moved to Kingman, Arizona at the age of 12. My dad worked and retired from Ford Motor Proving Grounds, in Yucca Arizona. Daddy retired in 1986, who would think after not feeling good that he would die eleven months months later at the age of 56 years young in 1987 ! My father's had pain from the bone cancer and liver cancer He had so many dreams being young retired man to go traveling, and spends time with his family doing fun things. Here he was suffering with weight coming off, unable to move on his own from the bone cancer. He was such a proud man before filled with fun and love. Now, we as his young children could hardly see him for the treatments took so much time away, the scary thought our daddy was going to die. Our worse thought came true. My daddy lost his fight who worked so hard to enjoy the Golden Years. He never seen them.

In 1991, I also had to face the untold and unknown fight of my live .My 12 year son, was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma ( non-Hodgkin's) disease. This is a form of leukemia. Twelve years old!! It took all we had, for the treatments had been at Phoenix Children Hospital. Many trips a week there, many weeks staying in the hospital; due to the illness we had to stay in Phoenix. Thank God for friends and family. it was touch and go many times. It was shocking how many of the Kingman residents were there (unknown until we started going ) So many children from Mohave County were ill from cancer!! Praise the Lord; he did win his battle after such a long treatment period. Now he is married and has a family of his own. How sometimes I wonder if my grandchildren will be come a victim of the radiation fallout. It had already made his grandparents, mom, and him a victim of cancer from the fallout.

In 1998, my mom had a lump, she learn again the unthinkable. My mother came down with breast cancer. She had gone through the channels of treatments and now my mom is in remission. This was so hard for the unknown thoughts came to play, were we going to lose our mom as we did our dad! She was in the prime time of her live. Again I have to Praise the Lord, for his plan. After all of this my grandfather Finch lost his battle from cancer also. Where does it end?

Please I ask! read all of the letters, that your receiving from all of us ! We are all downwinders of the Nevada Test Site Radiation fallout. We had seen the damage it did cause my family. This has affected generation after generations. And I ask since so may children from Mohave County that were on treatment for cancer when we had to go for my son's treatments ( 2 years) in the late 1980;s EXTEND THE DATES TO AT LEAST TO 1992. There was still testing happing when my son was born in the early 1980's help those who was born from genes in their body , whom had never harm anyone, they was born from a generation who was watching history being made era. PLEASE PUT MOHAVE COUNTY ON THE MAP AS COMTAMINATED AS DOWNWINDERS. Help those who believed in there was no harm to us!

We all have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and are survivors from the treatments for cancer.

Thank you!!
Darla J (Shaeffer) Wright
A radiation fallout resident of Mohave County. also a native of Arizona, born here.

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