World Trade Center Health Program Launches Virtual Exhibition

MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Stevens, yky0@cdc.gov

The online exhibition provides a poignant look at the ongoing health effects linked to 9/11 exposures

An online exhibition devoted to raising awareness about the ongoing health effects linked to 9/11 exposures opens today in commemoration of the 20^th anniversary of the official end of the World Trade Center recovery operations. The exhibit, Health Effects of 9/11, features information on 9/11 exposures and the emergence of World Trade Center-related health conditions, the events and advocacy that established the World Trade Center Health Program, and research achievements that have led to improvements in medical treatment and knowledge.

“I am proud to announce the launch of this online exhibition to honor the precious lives lost on 9/11 and those still struggling with chronic health conditions stemming from that tragic day,” said John Howard, M.D., administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program. “The online exhibition offers a wide audience the opportunity to learn and reflect on the lingering effects of 9/11 through the moving visuals and firsthand stories of sacrifice and survival.”

The exhibition features multi-media components such as videos, illustrations, and compelling images including photographs by renowned photographers Richard Wiesel and Earl Dotter. 9/11 responders and survivors actively participated in the development of the exhibition, sharing their stories, images, and experiences as 9/11 health advocates and World Trade Center Health Program members. Additionally, many organizations and advocacy groups contributed photos and historical information.

The World Trade Center Health Program developed the exhibition in partnership with the David J. Sencer CDC Museum. This is the first iteration of the exhibition; a physical installation is being planned for the CDC Museum in Atlanta at a future date.

Since 9/11, over 69,000 people have been diagnosed with physical and mental health conditions resulting from exposure to the dust, debris, and traumatic events of 9/11. More than 20 years later, as thousands suffer with chronic health conditions linked to 9/11 exposures, experts predict that the health effects from these attacks will continue for many decades to come. Today, the WTC Health Program serves over 117,000 members who reside in all 50 states and in almost every congressional district.

The World Trade Center Health Program is a limited federal health program administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Program provides no-cost medical monitoring and treatment for certified World Trade Center-related health conditions to those directly affected by the 9/11 attacks in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and is authorized through 2090.