Uranium workers can face illnesses decades later. Many workers don't know that help is available.
Four times a year, Angela Hays Carey visits Wyoming to find former uranium workers who could qualify for federal health benefits.
Every year, she finds some who didn’t know about federal compensation and health care support, or who never realized their illness was tied to exposure decades ago from their work in uranium mining, milling or transportation of ore.
“Until you are buying a car you don’t notice the car ads,” she said. “Until you get sick, you don’t think ‘Hey, maybe my uranium days caused this.’”
Hays Carey is the community outreach manager for Nuclear Care Partners, a group that assists former uranium and atomic workers with the red tape of federal benefits from the Energy Employee Occupational Illness Program Act and offers in-home care for former atomic workers who suffered serious illness from exposure.
Read more: https://trib.com/business/energy/uranium-workers-can-face-illnesses-decades-later-many-workers-don/article_9765ea6c-cb6f-5209-8527-20e6863f1aa6.html