We can never forget the horror of 9/11.

Nurses who worked during and after 9/11 at WTC Environmental Health Centers at Bellevue Hospital, Gouverneur Health and Elmhurst Hospital, and exposed to Ground Zero related health conditions will receive care for many years into the future by an act of Congress. Your commitment to caring has not been forgotten.

Following is a message received from Dr. Ram Raju to NYC H + H employees:

Friday, September 9, 2016

9/11 MESSAGE FROM DR. RAJU TO EMPLOYEES

If you were there. You still deserve care.

Anyone who is old enough to remember that terrible day 15 years ago knows that Sunday is the anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center. A river of words will continue to flow about that despicable act. Nevertheless, it bears repeating: People are still suffering as a result of 9/11.

At NYC Health + Hospitals we know this, and we are here to help, today, and in the future. Especially now that Congress has extended health coverage to those afflicted with Ground Zero related health conditions for the next 75 years.

We are here to offer free services to survivors in need of medical or mental health treatment at our three WTC Environmental Health Centers, NYC Health + Hospitals/ Bellevue, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur and NYC Health + Hospitals/ Elmhurst.

Each and every day, our expert clinical teams at these locations provide quality, compassionate, culturally responsive health services to the 4,000 patient/survivors currently under our care, just as we have provided such care for over 10,000 survivors over the lifetime of the program.

Unfortunately, given the latency of certain cancers now recognized as stemming from exposure 15 years ago, we know there will be many more survivors coming through our doors in future years.

Sunday will be a day to remember, and to be resolute. Perhaps one day humanity will abandon cruelty and destruction. In the meantime, we caregivers will continue doing our jobs, fulfilling our noble mission, of caring for those injured or made ill by the terrible events of September 11, 2001.

Ram Raju
President and CEO