Missouri Cancer Inquiry Committee to review elementary school cancer cluster

Administrators say 10 staff members of a Kansas City-area school have reported a cancer diagnosis in recent years.

In August 2022, the principal of the Warren Hills Elementary School in Liberty, Missouri, notified the district about the seemingly high number of staff who had contracted the potentially deadly disease. The school is less than 20 years old, having opened in 2006.

Staff repeatedly expressed concerns that environmental conditions may have contributed to the diagnoses. They were particularly concerned about the potential impact of a district-approved cell tower on the campus since shortly after its opening. 

Reports indicate the Clay County Public Health Center (CCPHC) and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) previously determined “there is no evidence to suggest that the breast cancer rate at Warren Hills Elementary is higher than expected, which means no environmental investigation is warranted.” 

Nevertheless, the Liberty Public School District (LPS) says it carried out its own “cancer cluster investigation” in 2022, commissioning a battery of environmental tests. Air and water quality tests, radon tests and cell tower tests all reportedly came back within the accepted range. 

In 2024, LPS says a follow-up water quality test found two minor violations related to lead that required mitigation. LPS says the violations were promptly remedied. 

On May 8, the CCPHC confirmed seven breast cancer cases, one cervical cancer, one brain cancer and one throat cancer case among the school’s staff. It also confirmed concerns for the school’s “student populations.” 

Last week, the Missouri Cancer Inquiry Committee set a meeting for June 25 to review the diagnosis data after receiving formal requests from the CCPHC and MDHSS. The committee will reportedly provide guidance to the district and public health professionals about potential next steps. 

LPS issued a public statement saying it had been notified of the upcoming review and is committed to continue partnering with the agencies involved.

“Liberty Public Schools is committed to providing safe and healthy learning environments at all of our schools and facilities,” the statement reads. “[Specific] to Warren Hills Elementary, in recent years our team has been in close contact with the Clay County Public Health Center, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Children’s Mercy Environmental Health, and the Missouri Cancer Registry, as we have responded to specific health and environmental concerns expressed by Warren Hills staff.  

“We are thankful for their expertise and partnerships and will continue to work with them as we move forward. Their work has been, and will continue to be, essential in leading and guiding us. In following the guidance and determinations made by the health agencies listed above, we have been assured that the school is safe for the Warren Hills community.  

“Having said this, we also fully recognize that this school community has had questions related to this, and it is of the utmost importance to us to support them with information and resources. Throughout, our focus has been on the well-being of our staff and students as we have worked to provide support to the Warren Hills school community. An account of all of the work completed to date has been published and made available on the Warren Hills school website, which is updated regularly. We will continue to remain engaged with the staff, families, and school community and provide them updates, as necessary.” 

Sara Peterson-Davis, whose daughter attended the school beginning in the 3rd grade, expressed grave concerns for the safety of the staff and students at Warren Hills. 

“It seems incredibly unusual to have that cluster of people who have the same cancer who worked in the same proximity of each other,” she told Kansas City’s Fox 4. “It would be nice to know – I mean, it would be crucial to know actually what the problem is. 

“It’s a school; there are children; there are staff. People want to be safe where they work and where they live and where they learn.” 

The “concerning number of cancer diagnoses” also caught the attention of U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R- Missouri.

On May 12, Graves wrote to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., requesting the agency’s help in investigating the cluster and its potential causes. 

In the letter, he cites the “deep and growing concerns” of parents whose children attend the school. He also said at least six staff members were diagnosed with breast cancer since 2013, with another who he says died from liver cancer last fall. 

“That’s an unbelievable and unimaginable amount of tragedy for an elementary school with fewer than 650 students and 40 teachers to experience over such a short time,” he wrote. “This is why I’m asking for your help getting to the bottom of this.

“The teachers, parents, and staff at Warren Hills Elementary School need some answers as to why so many of their friends, colleagues, and loved ones are being diagnosed with cancer – or at least the peace of mind of knowing that a truly thorough and independent study has looked into all the possible factors that could be causing this. 

“I firmly believe that you and your agency are the best hope we have at getting to the bottom of this and getting these folks the answers they need. Thank you for your time and consideration of this urgent request.”