Share your story and raise awareness!

Gary A. ( 75 years old )

U.S. Marine Corps – Infantry

I trained at Camp Lejeune for over two years in the ‘70s, and I remember the water tasting funny, having a weird underlying taste. In 1991, I was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, and I had the tumor removed laparoscopically. Afterward, I had to undergo a few sessions of chemotherapy to make sure I was cancer free.

Tony M. ( 57 years old )

U.S. Marine Corps – Engineering

The drinking water at Camp Lejeune sometimes had a brownish color, but not all the time, and I found that strange but didn’t question it much. I was diagnosed with neurobehavioral effects in 2021, and since then, I’ve been struggling with seizure activity of unknown etiology, depression, and confusion.

Samuel V. ( 67 years old )

U.S. Marine Corps – Firefighting

I remember AFFF being used widely at Camp Lejeune in huge, tremendous amounts. We would have to put out hydrocarbon fires with it without adequate protective gear during training operations. I was diagnosed with leukemia in 2015, and I know there’s a connection between my cancer and exposure to AFFF in the military.

Ryan H. ( 58 years old )

U.S. Marine Corps – Ground Electronic Warfare

Firefighting foam would be ever-present at Camp Lejeune, I would see trainees using it to fight fires started on purpose on the regular. It’s no wonder it ended up in the drinking water along with the other chemicals. In 2018, I received my brain cancer diagnosis, and I believe exposure to drinking water at Camp Lejeune caused it.

Richard P. ( 79 years old )

U.S. Marine Corps – Distribution management

Exposure to chemicals was frequent at Camp Lejeune, not only from drinking water but also from what we used to polish our weapons and military equipment. We would have to do this without any protective equipment, it was normal back then, and we would inhale the solvents. I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2020 as a result of living and training at Camp Lejeune.

Wanda J.

I was stationed at Camp Lejeune with my 40-year-old Marine husband, and in 1979, I found out I was pregnant. Unfortunately, I experienced a miscarriage at five months of pregnancy with serious health complications, including hemorrhage. After receiving treatment, I had to deal with scar tissue, and eventually, I had to undergo a total hysterectomy. To make matters worse, after having been stationed in Iran, my husband returned with a personality disorder. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps between 1974 and 1988. Understandably, during that time, no one dared to sue the government for the effects of toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune, but I tried my best to have my case taken up by a law firm or by the U.S. Navy. In the meantime, my husband’s health was getting worse and worse as he began struggling with headaches, sleepless nights, and hallucinations. He tragically lost his life in 2020 and only received a 10% disability rating from the VA for his health issues.

James L.

Was stationed at Camp Lejeune when he was 17 years old, but he could not recall how long he lived at the military base, and that information is impossible to obtain now, as he passed away from colon cancer due to having drunk toxic water at the installation. At his demise, James had a will naming his last known spouse as his only heir. She, however, is also deceased. The woman left behind two children, the only heirs to her estate, who might now be entitled to financial compensation.