Research Overview

Search for the Cause

Searching for the causes of Marin's high cancer rates is not a simple task. Cancer has many risk factors, and answers cannot be found in a year or two or ten. We have, however, made significant strides. The 2002 survey reinforced previous reports about Marin's high cancer rates: 1 in 4 surveyed homes reported cancer.

In addition to collecting information on types of cancer and suspected causes, the campaign educated and coalesced the community and its leadership around the issues. We built the foundation to move the Search for the Cause forward.

Collaborative Effort

Working with Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressmember Lynn Woolsey along with leadership on the local and state level we coalesce as part of a larger collaborative with many other organizations in the Bay Area and across the country.

Our goal is to move the Search for the Cause forward and through grassroots support partnered with science to reverse a health trend that is taking a  great toll on our communities.

Are Environmental Issues Working Against Us?

Why does Marin have the designation of “the county with the highest cancer rates in the country?” As a community we need to go beyond the anecdotal information and look within our communities to better understand if there may be environmental working against us. If there are risk factors that can be eliminated, we need to work toward that goal.

To meet our goals, we will engage in the following tasks:

• Raise awareness in our community of the high incidence of cancer
• Work within our neighborhoods to identify potential risk factors and work solving the problems
• Educate the community about the Precautionary Principle and precautionary actions that may lead to a healthier life
• Encourage dialogue between citizens, public officials and the scientific community about cancer and possible causes for the epidemic
• Set examples as an organization by taking precautionary actions in our own lives and our own households that lead to a healthier community
• Put pressure on our public policy makers to direct funding to identifying the causes of this disease and to share those findings with the public
• Promote adoption by public institutions of the Precautionary Principle which mandates that when an activity may threaten human or environmental health, precautionary measures should be taken even if science has not fully established cause-and effect relationships